Kinesio Tape and Shoulder-Joint Position Sense

Area of Science:

• Neuromuscular control and proprioception
• Sports medicine and biomechanics
• Rehabilitation and therapeutic modalities

Background:

• Joint position sense (JPS) is crucial for neuromuscular control, particularly for shoulder function in specialized tasks.
• The impact of Kinesio Tape (KT) on shoulder JPS has not been previously investigated.
• Understanding factors affecting shoulder proprioception is vital for athletes' performance and injury prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effects of Kinesio Tape (KT) application on shoulder joint position sense (JPS) in athletes.
• To compare shoulder JPS with and without KT at various increasing shoulder elevation angles.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted in a university laboratory setting.
• Twenty-seven healthy athletes, not involved in overhead sports, participated.
• Shoulder JPS was assessed by participants actively replicating target positions without visual guidance, with and without KT application at increasing elevation angles.

Main Results:

• An interaction between tape application and position was found for absolute error in shoulder JPS.
• Kinesio Tape application resulted in a significant increase in absolute error (2.65°) at 90° of shoulder elevation compared to no tape (P = .01).
• Variable error showed no significant interaction or main effects related to tape application or shoulder position.

Conclusions:

• Kinesio Tape application was found to impair shoulder joint position sense (JPS) at 90° of elevation.
• The findings suggest that KT may negatively affect shoulder proprioception in specific positions.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications for athletes using KT.