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The effects of Kinesio® taping on sitting posture, functional independence and gross motor function in children with
Tülay Tarsuslu Şimşek1, Bahriye Türkücüoğlu, Nilay Çokal
1Department of Physical therapy and Rehabilitation, Abant Izzet Baysal University School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Bolu 14100, Turkey. tulay_tarsuslu@yahoo.com
Insights
Kinesio® tape (KT) positively impacts sitting posture in children with cerebral palsy. While not directly improving gross motor function, KT combined with physiotherapy offers a beneficial assistive approach.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Assistive Technologies
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly affects motor function and independence in children.
- Optimizing sitting posture is crucial for functional abilities and preventing secondary complications in CP.
- Kinesio® tape (KT) is a therapeutic modality with potential benefits in various pediatric conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Kinesio® tape (KT) application on sitting posture, gross motor function, and functional independence in children with cerebral palsy (CP).
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 31 children with CP (GMFCS levels III-V) was conducted.
- Participants received either physiotherapy with KT or physiotherapy alone for 12 weeks.
- Assessments included the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM), and Sitting Assessment Scale (SAS).
Main Results:
- Both groups showed improvements in GMFCS and SAS scores post-intervention.
- The study group (physiotherapy + KT) demonstrated significantly better sitting posture (SAS scores) compared to the control group.
- The study group also showed significant improvements in functional independence (WeeFIM scores), unlike the control group.
Conclusions:
- Kinesio® tape (KT) application showed positive effects on sitting posture in children with CP.
- No direct significant effects of KT were observed on gross motor function or overall functional independence.
- KT may serve as a beneficial adjunct to physiotherapy for improving sitting posture in clinical settings for children with CP.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Kinesio® tape (KT) application on sitting posture, gross motor function and the level of functional independence.
Method:
The study included 31 cerebral palsied children scored as level III, IV or V according to gross motor functional classification system (GMFCS). Children were randomly separated into two groups as study (n = 15, receiving KT and physiotherapy) and control (n = 15, receiving only physiotherapy). KT application was carried out for 12 weeks. Gross motor function measure (GMFM), functional independence measure for children (WeeFIM) and Sitting Assessment Scale (SAS) were used to evaluate gross motor function, independency in the activities of daily living and sitting posture, respectively.
Results:
Compared to initial assessments, both groups showed a significant difference in parameters of GMFCS sitting subscale, GMFCS total score and SAS scores (p < 0.05). At the end of 12 weeks, only SAS scores were significantly different in favour of the study group when the groups were compared (p < 0.05). Also, post-intervention WeeFIM scores of the study group were significantly higher compared to initial assessment (p < 0.05), however, no difference was detected in the control group (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
No direct effects of KT were observed on gross motor function and functional independence, though sitting posture (head, neck, foot position and arm, hand function) was affected positively. These results may imply that in clinical settings KT may be a beneficial assistive treatment approach when combined with physiotherapy.