Immediate effects of trunk Kinesio Taping® on functional parameters in the acute stage of patients with mild stroke: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Improving early trunk control, balance, and sitting activity following acute stroke is critical for functional prognosis.

PURPOSE: To compare the immediate efficacy of Kinesio Taping® (KT) application on anterior and posterior trunk muscles in terms of improving trunk control, balance, and sit-to-stand performance in the acute stage of stroke.

METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with acute mild stroke were allocated to the anterior KT group (AKT) (age = 65.95 ± 9.67; 12 females, 11 males; Modified Rankin Score = 3), posterior KT group (PKT) (age = 65.39 ± 10.39; 10 females, 13 males; Modified Rankin Score = 3), and control group (CG) (age = 65.34 ± 8.91; 11 females, 12 males; Modified Rankin Score = 2). Trunk control, balance, and sit-to-stand performance were assessed at the baseline and after 45 minutes and 48 hours post-KT. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA.

RESULTS: All outcome measures scores improved in all groups significantly after 48 hours ( p  < .001). A significant improvement after 45 minutes was only seen in trunk control compared to the CG ( p  < .001; d = 1.32 for AKT and p  = .038; d = 0.75 for PKT). Trunk control, balance, and sit-to-stand performance improved in both AKT and PKT compared to the CG at 48 hours post-taping. Trunk control ( p  < .001; d = 0.26) and balance ( p  < .001; d = 0.72) results were in favor of the AKT, while sit-to-stand performance results did not make a difference between KT groups ( p  = .335; d = 0.47).

CONCLUSION: KT application on anterior or posterior trunk muscles was effective for improving trunk control, balance, and sit-to-stand performance in acute stage of stroke in the short term. KT application on anterior trunk muscles had the advantage of improving trunk control and balance.