Abstract

LABRADOR-CERRATO, A.M.; ORTEGA SANCHEZ-DIEZMA, P.; LANZAS MELENDO, G.  and  GUTIERREZ-ORTEGA, C.. Effects of kinesio taping on lumbar rachis flexibility. Sanid. Mil. [online]. 2015, vol.71, n.1, pp.15-21. ISSN 1887-8571.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1887-85712015000100003.

Introduction: Kinesio taping is a technique that produces a very selective stimulation through skin by means of specific elastic strips application aiming to achieve proprioceptive changes, increase or inhibition of muscle activity and pain mitigation, among others. Aims: The present work was focused on checking whether kinesio taping increases lumbar rachis flexion compared with other placebo taping techniques such as conventional tape or Omniplaste^®-E elastic tape. Furthermore, it was led to observe the correspondence between the sit-and-reach and Schober tests when assessing the increase of lumbar flexion. Material and methods: Experimental, triple-blind randomized controlled pilot trial, where 45 healthy 20-55 year-aged participants were randomly distributed into three groups: 1) conventional taping; 2) Omniplaste^®-E; 3) kinesio taping. Flexion of lumbar rachis was evaluated using both sit-and-reach and Schober tests before and after the intervention following the same procedure in all subjects. Results: Considered 95 % as confidence interval and level of significant difference of p<0.05 in all cases, a statistically significant increase on lumbar flexion was obtained in all groups by sit-and-reach test measure procedures, even higher in kinesio taping group (1.5 cm median; p=0.011). Taking into account Schober test values, only kinesio taping group was efficient (p<0.001), increasing basal measure up to 6.25% (1 cm median). Conclusions: Application of kinesio taping on lumbar rachis helps to increase lumbar flexion better than some placebo techniques from results obtained by Schober test procedures. It was also observed that kinesio taping achieves a higher global trunk flexion respecting such techniques by sit-and-reach test. Schober test seems to be more accurate and reliable than sit-and-reach test for this type of studies.

Keywords : Ahletic tape; Lumbosacral region; Joint flexibility; Kinesiotape; Musculoskeletal system; Physical therapy modalities.

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