Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
Application of Consistent Massage-Like Perturbations on Mouse Calves and Monitoring the Resulting Intramuscular Pressure Changes
Published on: September 20, 2019
The Protective Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Functional Manipulation Combined with Kinesiology Tape Against
Chia-Hung Tien1, Pei-Chen Chuang2, Bo-Chi Hsu3
1Dexin Chinese Medicine Clinic, Taichung city, Taiwan.
Background:
Lower extremity stability is closely related to sports injuries and muscle fatigue, with the calf complex playing a crucial role.
Primary Study Objective:
This study aims to investigate the effects of manipulation using traditional Chinese medicine functional manipulation (TCMFM) and maintaining it through the application of kinesiology tape (KT).
Study Design:
Forty-five participants were recruited and randomized to two groups using a crossover design.
Setting:
All research in this study was conducted at the same university. In this randomized crossover trial, participants received either TCMFM with KT (TCMFM-KT) or KT alone, separated by a washout period to minimize carryover effects.
Primary Outcome Measures:
Eight positions on the lower limbs were measured using MyotonPRO® to assess soft tissue changes, and the feeling of discomfort was recorded using a visual analog scale.
Results:
TCMFM facilitates the redistribution of mechanical load from the calf muscle to adjacent or synergistic muscle groups, thereby mitigating localized strain. The variation in muscle tone (∆F%), defined as the proportion of muscle tone at a given measurement point compared with the baseline value (day 1, before intervention), was higher in the TCMFM-KT than in the KT session at the lateral leg from day 1 to day 3. The ∆F% at the anterior leg on day 2 and at the medial leg on day 7 were lower in the TCMFM-KT session than in the KT session. The VAS score in the KT session was higher on day 2 and day 3 than on day 1, whereas no significant change was observed in the TCMFM-KT session.
Conclusion:
TCMFM has the potential to improve overall muscle activation and coordination in the lower limbs, reducing the impact of muscle fatigue.
Keywords:
Functional manipulation, Kinesiology taping, Muscle fatigue, Traditional Chinese medicine.
