Comparison of Acute Effects of Flexible and Rigid Taping on Core Strength in Healthy Young Adults

Comparison of Acute Effects of Flexible and Rigid Taping on Core Strength in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Trunk stabilization refers to the optimization of posture for conscious and unconscious movements, the maintenance of upright posture, and the stabilization of arm and head movements.

Trunk stabilizer muscles reduce overload between the intervertebral joints and play an important role in maintaining the stability of the spine. Trunk stabilizer muscles are connected via fascia, and superficial and deep muscles control the positions of the trunk to facilitate trunk stabilization.

Prolonged activity of trunk stabilization muscles causes fatigue in one or more muscles, which can lead to loss of neuromuscular control and cause tissue damage and back pain due to uncontrolled movements.

Muscular fatigue is defined as a decrease in the maximum strength or strength capacity of muscles after continuous physical activity. Sore or weak muscles tend to fatigue more quickly, which leads to a decrease in the ability to perform physical activities. When the endurance of the trunk stabilizer muscles decreases due to muscle fatigue, concentric and eccentric signal patterns are disrupted, causing the muscles to react less quickly. Muscle fatigue also reduces exercise performance and increases the risk of pain and injury. Therefore, increasing muscle endurance in cases of spinal instability may be more important than muscle strength training. Recently, flexible tape has begun to be used in the treatment of muscle fatigue. Taping has been used for years in both athletes and physiotherapy clinics for reducing pain, preventing injuries, biomechanical correction, increasing stability, increasing proprioception, reducing edema, as well as muscle inhibition and facilitation. Recently, taping techniques that primarily aim to change muscle activity have become widespread physiotherapy methods. In particular, it has been shown that taping inhibits or facilitates the muscle by changing the muscle's reflex amplitude (H reflex). When the literature is examined, it is seen that studies on taping are focused especially on flexible taping applications, and that studies on rigid taping applications are few. Therefore, in this study, the researchers aimed to compare the effects of flexible and rigid taping on trunk muscle endurance (core) and trunk stability when all trunk stabilizer muscles are used.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Trunk Muscle Strength
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: trunk muscle strength; Other: Core Strength; Other: Balance

Detailed Description

The study will include 56 healthy individuals from the relatives of patients who are between the ages of 18-25, who have no medical history of spinal musculoskeletal disorders in the last 6 months, who do not have a current neurological or orthopedic contracture, who do not have a history of contact dermatitis or a history of cutaneous adverse reactions to flexible or rigid tape, and who have not been diagnosed with scoliosis or a herniated disc in the last 6 months and who agree to participate in the study.

The trunk muscle strength (core) of all individuals participating in the study will be evaluated with the McGill Core Endurance Tests and the Sharman Test, and their stability-balance with the Biodex Balance System (does not contain radiation or similar harmful rays) with eyes open and closed.

The individuals will be divided into two groups using the envelope drawing method and will be subjected to trunk endurance tests and trunk stability tests before taping. Flexible taping will be applied to one group and rigid taping will be applied to the other, and endurance tests and stability tests will be repeated immediately after taping. Tapings and measurements will be performed by different physiotherapists to ensure blindness.

The tapes investigators will use are the ones that people apply themselves, even on internet sites, and do not harm the person or the environment. The tapes will be applied by a specialist physiotherapist, will remain on the patient for the duration of the evaluations (20 minutes on average) and will be removed by the physiotherapist when the evaluations are over. The tapes will not be left on the participant.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 56
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Centre
    • Kirsehir, Centre, Turkey, 40000
      • Kirşehir Ahi Evran University Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between the ages of 18-25,
• not having a medical history of musculoskeletal disorders of the spine in the last 6 months,
• not having a current neurological or orthopedic contracture,
• not having a history of contact dermatitis or cutaneous adverse reactions to flexible or rigid tape,
• not having been diagnosed with scoliosis or a herniated disc in the last 6 months,
• being willing to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not being between the ages of 18-25,
• having a medical history of musculoskeletal disorders of the spine within the last 6 months,
• having current neurological or orthopedic contracture,
• having a history of contact dermatitis or a history of cutaneous adverse reactions to flexible and rigid tape,
• having been diagnosed with scoliosis or a herniated disc within the last 6 months,
• not volunteering to participate in the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: elastic tape group; Participants in this group will have their core muscles taped with flexible tape.	Other: trunk muscle strength; force that represents the endurance of the body.; Other: Core Strength; back and abdominal muscle endurance; Other: Balance; steady state
Active Comparator: rigid tape group; Participants in this group will have their core muscles taped with rigid tape.	Other: trunk muscle strength; force that represents the endurance of the body.; Other: Core Strength; back and abdominal muscle endurance; Other: Balance; steady state

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Trunk Muscle Strength	Trunk Flexion Test: The participant is asked to cross their hands over their chest. They are positioned on the floor with their trunk at 60° flexion and their knees at 90° flexion. The time until there is any deterioration in their position is recorded. The same test is applied for trunk extension and right-left bridge positions and the times are recorded.	15 minutes before taping and 15 minutes after taping
Core Strength	Sharman Test: The participant is lying in the supine position and the stabilizer is placed on the natural lordotic curve, the stabilizer pressure is adjusted to 40 mmHg by the physiotherapist performing the test, and then the abdominal bracing maneuver is taught to the participant. This maneuver provides isolated contraction of the transversus abdominus muscle and spinal stability. The test consists of 5 stages. The person being tested is asked to perform the abdominal bracing maneuver at each stage of the test and to perform different lower extremity movements while continuing this maneuver. The difficulty level of the test increases from level 1 to level 5. A value change of more than 10 mmHg in the stabilizer during each stage movement means that the patient has not completed that level and the test is terminated.	20 minutes before taping and 20 minutes after taping

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
balance	Stability - Balance: The patient will be positioned on a platform with a screen in front of them. In our study, a rigid platform will be used and the patient will be given a suitable position by holding on to the side bars with their hands while both feet (bare) are on the platform. The foot coordinates are determined while the patient is in the most comfortable position where they can maintain their balance. For static postural balance measurement, patients are asked to hold the circular ring they see on the screen in the center for 20 seconds. The test is terminated after 3 measurements including 10-second rest periods. Patients will repeat this measurement with their eyes open and closed.	10 minutes before taping and 10 minutes after taping

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ahi Evran University Education and Research Hospital
• Investigators: Study Chair: AHİ EVRAN UNIVERSITY, KIRŞEHİR AHİ EVRAN PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 10, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2024
• First Posted (Estimated): December 11, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 11, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2024
• Last Verified: November 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: rigid tape; elastic tape; core muscle strength
• Other Study ID Numbers: KAEU-EBAYRAMOGLUD-002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No