Effect of taping tension applied to the ankle of chronic stroke patients on gait

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of taping of different tension on the walking ability of stroke patients by applying them for 5 weeks to chronic stroke patients. Method: The subjects of this study were randomly divided into elastic taping group and non-elastic taping group. The duration of the experiment was a total of 5 weeks. During the experiment period, both groups lived with the taping attached, and both the elastic taping group and the inelastic taping group were equally applied to the area where the taping was attached. The attachment sites were peroneus tertius, peroneus longus, extensor disitorum longus, and tibialis anterior muscles, and they were attached along the running direction of the muscle. After attaching the taping, pre-measurement of walking ability was performed, and post-measurement was performed 5 weeks later. Results: As a result of comparing the amount of change before and after the experiment on walking ability between the elastic taping group and the inelastic taping group, the inelastic taping group showed significant improvement over the elastic taping group in stance phase time, step time, and cadence (p<0.5). Conclusion: The group to which inelastic taping was applied to the ankle of chronic stroke patients showed significant improvement in stance phase time, step time, and cadence compared to the group to which elastic taping was applied. Therefore, in this study, the application of inelastic taping to the ankle joint in the rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients can be of great help in improving walking ability.