Rigid Taping's Effects on Posture and Balance in Office Workers

Prolonged sitting and forward-leaning postures during desk-based office work are commonly associated with increased thoracic kyphosis, forward head posture, and reduced postural control. Rigid taping applied to the thoracic region has been proposed as a low-cost, non-invasive method to provide passive postural correction and proprioceptive feedback, but its immediate (acute) effects in office-working populations have not been fully characterized.

This study uses a single-group, pre-post (within-subject) design to evaluate the acute effects of rigid thoracic postural correction taping in office workers. Baseline assessments of craniovertebral alignment, sagittal spinal posture, and standing balance will be obtained, after which rigid tape will be applied by a trained examiner along a standardized pattern over the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle to passively encourage scapular retraction, thoracic extension, and reduced forward head positioning. All baseline measurements will be repeated after a 15-minute period with the tape in place, allowing evaluation of the immediate biomechanical response to the intervention.

The primary hypothesis is that rigid thoracic taping will acutely improve craniovertebral alignment and selected spinal alignment parameters, and may additionally improve dynamic balance. Findings are intended to inform whether rigid taping may serve as a practical, low-risk adjunct for immediate postural support in individuals with prolonged sedentary, desk-based occupational exposure.