Immediate effect of Kinesio taping® on deep cervical flexor endurance: A non-controlled, quasi-experimental pre-post quantitative study

ABSTRACT

Objective

Whether Kinesio taping® (KT) might change the endurance of the cervical deep flexor muscles.

Methods

Healthy university students were assessed at baseline, immediately after the KT application over the posterior cervical muscles, and at a 24-h follow-up. The clinical assessment of the endurance of the deep cervical flexor muscles using the craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) was performed.

Results

Sixty-two students (32 women) with a mean age of 20.4 ± 1.3 years completed the study protocol. Statistically significant pre- to post-taping differences in performance of the craniocervical flexion movement were found between baseline-immediate and baseline-24-h follow-up (p˂0.001). A statistically significant difference in the endurance of the cervical deepflexor muscles was found between baseline-immediate (for stage 2 result and cumulative endurance score), baseline-24-h follow-up (for stage 2result and cumulative endurance score), and immediate-24-h follow-up (for stage 2 result, for cumulative endurance score) p˂0.01.

Conclusion

Cervical KT increased endurance for the short term.

KEYWORDS:

• Cervical vertebrae
• healthy volunteers
• elastic therapeutic tape
• deep cervical flexor muscles

Acknowledgments

F.T. developed the study concept. All authors contributed to the study design. Testing and data collection were performed by F.T, H.B.C. and B.T. F.T. and N.S. performed the data analysis and interpretation under the supervision of H.T. F.T. drafted the paper, and N.S. and H.T. provided critical revisions. All authors approved the final version of the paper for submission.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

There was no funding for this study.