Short-term effects of trunk Kinesio Taping on trunk muscle endurance and postural stability in healthy young adults: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the short-term effects of trunk Kinesio Taping (KT) application on trunk muscle endurance and postural stability in healthy young adults. Methods: Fifty-eight healthy subjects were randomly assigned to KT and Sham groups. According to the group assignment, KT was applied on both sides of the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis, obliquus externus, and obliquus internus) and sacrospinal muscles. The trunk muscle endurance with McGill’s trunk muscle endurance tests and postural stability with a force platform were assessed. To compare the group differences. Results: It was shown that trunk flexor (p=0.015) and trunk left lateral endurance (p=0.006) increased in the KT group compared to the Sham group. After the KT application, trunk flexor (p=0.004), extensor (p=0.001), right lateral (p=0.001) and left lateral (p=0.001) endurance improved; however, no differences were found in eyes open (p=0.638) and closed (p=0.409) postural stability scores in the KT group. In the Sham group, there was no difference between trunk flexor (p=0.756), extensor (p=0.426), right lateral (p=0.065), left lateral (p=0.968) endurance and eyes open (p=0.709) and closed (p=0.306) postural stability. Conclusion: The KT application on the trunk muscles increased the muscle endurance; however, it did not improve postural stability in the short term in the healthy subjects. This application might be important for improving or supporting the trunk endurance in different populations whose trunk muscle endurance needs to be improved.