Effect of Kinesio Taping on the Walking Ability of Patients with Foot Drop after Stroke.

Yilan Sheng,Wenhua Chen,Zixing Wen,Shifeng Kan,Qiang Qu,Qi Qi,Bo Yu

doi:10.1155/2019/2459852

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of kinesio taping on the walking ability in patients with foot drop after stroke. Methods Sixty patients were randomly divided into the experimental group (with kinesio taping) and the control group (without kinesio taping). The 10-Meter Walking Test (10MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), stride length, stance phase, swing phase, and foot rotation of the involved side were measured with the German ZEBRIS gait running platform analysis system and were used to evaluate and compare the immediate effects of kinesio taping. All the measurements were made in duplicate for each patient. Results The demographic variables of patients in both groups were comparable before the treatment (p>0.05). After kinesio taping treatment, significant improvement was found in the 10MWT and the TUGT for patients in the experimental group (p<0.05). There were significant differences in the 10MWT and TUGT between the experimental and control groups after treatment (p<0.05). In terms of gait, we found significant improvement in stride length (p<0.001), stance phase (p<0.001), swing phase (p<0.001), and foot rotation (p<0.001) of the involved side in experimental group after treatment compared with those before treatment. Further, the functional outcomes and gait ability were significantly improved in the experimental group after treatment (p<0.05), compared to the control group. Conclusion Kinesio taping can immediately improve the walking function of patients with foot drop after stroke.

Highlights

Stroke, defined as the abrupt onset of a focal neurological deficit, is a leading cause of prolonged disability and death worldwide [1, 2]
This study examined the effect of kinesio taping on the walking ability in patients with foot drop after stroke
Thirty subjects participated in the control group (20 males and 10 females; mean age: 51.89±8.48 years; mean course of disease: 7.91±2.65 months)

Summary

Introduction

Stroke, defined as the abrupt onset of a focal neurological deficit, is a leading cause of prolonged disability and death worldwide [1, 2]. Epidemiological investigations show that stroke survivors are at an increased risk of recurrent stroke, with 5- and 10-year estimates approximating 18% and 44%, respectively [3]. Most stroke survivors display a degree of motor dysfunction which affects the patient’s daily activities, social participation, and quality of life [4]. Walking dysfunction is the most commonly reported limitation of the lower extremities in subjects after stroke [5], including the inability to dorsiflex the ankle, slow gait velocity, and increased risk for falls attributed to foot drop [6]. The current common treatment methods for rehabilitation include acupuncture [7], exercise therapy, physical therapy (such as functional electrical stimulation (FES)) [8], ankle-foot orthotics (AFO) [9], and kinesio taping [10]. A study showed that the kinesio taping method may facilitate or inhibit muscle

Methods

Results

Conclusion