Postural Kinesio Taping in Stroke Rehabilitation

January 10, 2026 updated by: Taner Dandinoğlu, Bursa City Hospital

Effects of Posture-Oriented Kinesio Taping on Mobility, Balance, Coordination, and Activities of Daily Living in Patients With Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Stroke often leads to postural asymmetry and impaired trunk control, which negatively affect mobility, balance, coordination, and activities of daily living. These impairments increase the risk of falls and reduce functional independence during the rehabilitation process.

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of posture-oriented kinesio taping, applied in addition to standard neurological rehabilitation, on functional outcomes in patients with stroke. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving kinesio taping plus standard rehabilitation or a control group receiving standard rehabilitation alone.

Functional outcomes including trunk control, postural stability, balance, mobility, and activities of daily living will be assessed using validated clinical scales at baseline and after the intervention period. The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness of posture-oriented kinesio taping as a non-invasive and easily applicable adjunct treatment in stroke rehabilitation.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18 years or older
  • Diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed clinically and/or radiologically
  • In the subacute or chronic phase of stroke (≥1 month post-stroke) and clinically stable
  • Presence of postural control and/or trunk control impairment
  • Ability to participate in a standard neurological rehabilitation program
  • No severe cognitive impairment or communication disorder that would interfere with outcome assessments
  • Intact skin at the kinesio taping application sites
  • Willingness to participate and provision of written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Acute stroke phase or clinical instability
  • Severe cognitive impairment, aphasia, or insufficient cooperation that would interfere with reliable outcome assessments
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to kinesio tape
  • Active dermatological conditions at taping sites (e.g., open wounds, dermatitis, infection)
  • Severe spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale ≥3)
  • Presence of other neurological disorders affecting balance or mobility (e.g., Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis)
  • Severe orthopedic conditions or cardiopulmonary diseases limiting participation in rehabilitation
  • Receipt of posture-oriented kinesio taping within the previous 3 months
  • Concurrent participation in another interventional clinical study that could influence study outcomes

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard Rehabilitation
Other: Standard Rehabilitation
Posture-oriented kinesio taping is applied to trunk and postural muscles with the aim of improving postural alignment and trunk control. The taping intervention is administered in addition to a standard neurological rehabilitation program. Applications are performed by trained clinicians using non-elastic-free, hypoallergenic kinesio tape and are renewed at regular intervals during the intervention period. The taping protocol targets postural asymmetry and impaired trunk stability without restricting joint range of motion or limiting functional activities.
Experimental: Posture-Oriented Kinesio Taping plus Standard Rehabilitation
Other: Posture-Oriented Kinesio Taping
Posture-oriented kinesio taping is applied to trunk and postural muscles to support postural alignment, enhance trunk control, and increase proprioceptive input in patients with stroke. The intervention is delivered as an adjunct to standard neurological rehabilitation and does not replace routine therapy. Kinesio tape is applied by trained clinicians using a standardized posture-focused taping approach, without restricting joint range of motion or limiting functional activities. The taping applications are maintained and renewed at regular intervals throughout the intervention period, with monitoring for skin tolerance and adverse reactions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) is used to assess trunk control, including static sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance, and trunk coordination in patients with stroke. Higher scores indicate better trunk function.
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
The Timed Up and Go Test measures functional mobility and dynamic balance by recording the time required to stand up, walk, turn, and sit down.
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
10-Meter Walk Test
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
The 10-Meter Walk Test evaluates walking speed as an indicator of functional ambulation.
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
The Functional Independence Measure assesses the level of independence in activities of daily living across motor and cognitive domains.
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
The Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) is used to assess postural control and balance during lying, sitting, and standing activities in individuals with stroke. The scale consists of 12 items, with total scores ranging from 0 to 36, where higher scores indicate better postural control and balance performance.
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Bursa City Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

January 30, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 31, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 31, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

January 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 10, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-FTR-2

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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