P.12 - Acute effect of muscle facilitation application on performance and energy expenditure in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Abstract

Kinesiological taping is a taping technique usually used for facilitating the muscles of athletes and patients with orthopaedic diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of kinesiological taping on performance and energy consumption in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Twenty children with DMD who were in Level 1 and 2 according to the Brooke lower extremity functional classification (BLEFC) were included in the study. Kinesiological taping with facilitation technique was applied on bilateral quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles. Performance was assessed by 6 minute walk test (6MWT) and timed performance tests including Gowers, ascending/descending 4 steps, and 10m walk. Energy expenditure was assessed by physiological expenditure index (PEI). The assessments were both applied before taping (BT) and 1 hour after taping (AT). The difference of assessment results between BT and AT was analyzed by Wilcoxon signed ranks test in nonparametric condition. The mean age of children was 99.15 ± 30.25 months. Nine children were classified as Level 1 and 11 as Level 2 according to BLEFC. 6MWT distance (BT: 361.55 ± 95.99m; AT: 368 ± 96.98m), the Gowers (BT: 7.02 ± 4.27 sec, AT: 6.84 ± 4.99 sec), ascending 4 steps (BT: 4.11 ± 2.58 sec, AT: 4.24 ± 3.49 sec), descending 4 steps (BT: 2.87 ± 1.55 sec, AT: 2.68 ± 1.70 sec) and energy consumption (BT: 0.42 ± 0.32beats/m, AT: 0.39 ± 0.41beats/m) were not significantly different between BT and AT (p > 0.05). A statistically significant decrease was determined in 10m walk time between BT and AT (BT: 14.20 ± 12.39 sec AT: 8.42 ± 2.72 sec) (p < 0.05). Our results showed that lower extremity kinesiogical taping did not effect performance and energy consumption in children with DMD in early period. However, it was thought that the long term effect of the kinesiological taping and its effect in the late period should be investigated.