Effect of Kinesio taping on wrist proprioception in healthy subjects: a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Although the use of KT has increased considerably in the clinical practice in the last years, there is limited evidence about the effects of its application in proprioception. Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of KT on joint position sense and force sense on the wrist of healthy subjects. Methods: Fifty-four subjects were analyzed in a randomized, crossover, single-blind study design. To determine the force sense, the subjects had to reach 50% of their maximum grip force. Wrist joint position sense was assessed during active repositioning tests at the target angles of 30° flexion and extension of wrist. A digital dynamometer was used to determine the sense of force and a digital goniometer was used to determine the joint position sense. Subjects were evaluated with KT (I- strip on ventral aspect of forearms from origin to insertion) and placebo (an inelastic tape was applied following the same procedure as KT). Results: No significant differences have been found in the force sense, neither in the comparisons between control and interventions (p=0.286), nor between pre and post-intervention (p=0.111). For wrist joint position sense, a statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) was found at 30º of extension between the control and experimental group in favor of the control group. Conclusions: The application of KT did not produce changes in FS and only caused a significant improvement in JPS in extension (30º). The results appear to indicate that the application of KT to improve proprioception in healthy subjects should be reconsidered.