Effect of Kinesiotape on Hand Functions in Stroke Patients

Abstract

Aim: Despite the frequent use of kinesiotape (KT) in musculoskeletal disorders, there is insufficient data on its effectiveness in stroke patients. Several studies have evaluated the effect of KT on lower extremity functions, upper limb lymphedema and reflex sympathetic dystrophy in stroke patients, but as far as we know there is no study evaluating its effects on hand functions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acute phase effect on hand function of KT application in hemiplegic patients.

Method: Twenty patients who had an ischemic / hemorrhagic stroke within the last 1 year were included into the study. All patients were treated with KT application to the forearm extensor muscle region, 3 times in total for 3 days. All patients' demographic characteristics [age, gender, education, smoking, diabetes (DM), hypertension (HT), type and duration of cerebrovascular disease, hemiplegic side, dominant hand] were recorded.

The severity of the disease was assessed by the National Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) index, hand functions were assessed by two-step Minnesota hand skill test (nine-hole test),  hand functional index before and after KT application (end of 3rd week ) and hand grip strength by dynamometer.

Findings: Thirteen male and seven female patients were included in the study at an average age of 61±6 years. 45% of the patients had a short duration diagnosis of 3 months, 100% had HT, 85% had DM. Ischemic type was the most frequently seen stroke types with a frequency of 90%. Significant differences were observed in hand grip strength (p=0.001), hand functional index (p<0.001) and nine-hole test duration (p=0.001) after 3 weeks of KT application.

Conclusion: KT has a positive effect on hand functions in the acute phase in stroke rehabilitation.

Keywords

• Stroke,kinesiotape,rehabilitation,upper extremity

İnme Hastalarında Kinezyobantlamanın El Fonksiyonlarına Etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Kas iskelet sistemi bozukluklarında kinezyobantlama (KT) sıklıkla kullanılmasına rağmen, inme hastalarında etkinliği hakkında yeterli veri yoktur. Birkaç çalışmada inme hastalarında KT'in alt ekstremite fonksiyonlarına, üst ekstremite lenfödem ve refleks sempatik distrofideki etkisi değerlendirilmiş fakat bildiğimiz kadarıyla el fonksiyonlarına etkisi üzerine ise çalışma yoktur. Bu çalışmamızın amacı hemiplejik hastalarda KT uygulamanın el fonksiyonlarına akut dönem etkisini değerlendirmektir.

Yöntem: Çalışmamıza son 1 yıl içinde iskemik/hemorajik inme geçiren 20 hasta dâhil edildi. Tüm hastalara 3 gün süreli toplamda 3 kez önkol ekstansör kas bölgesine KT uygulaması yapıldı. Tüm hastaların demografik özellikleri (yaş, cinsiyet, eğitim, sigara kullanımı, diyabet (DM), hipertansiyon (HT), serebrovasküler hastalık tipi ve süresi, hemiplejik taraf, dominant el) kayıt edildi.

Hastalığın şiddeti Ulusal Sağlık İnme Skalası (NIHSS) indeksi, el fonksiyonları uygulama öncesi ve sonrası (3. haftanın sonu) el fonksiyonel indeksi, iki aşamalı Minnesota el beceri testi (dokuz delikli test) ile el kavrama gücü ise dinamometre ile değerlendirildi.

Bulgular: Çalışmaya ortalama 61±6 yaşlarında 13 erkek, 7 kadın hasta dâhil edildi. Hastaların %45’i 3 aydan kısa süreli tanı almıştı, %100 HT, %85 DM hastası idi. İnme tiplerinden en sık %90 ile iskemik tipi görüldü. Tutulan taraf sağ ve sol eşit oranda idi.

Hastaların tedavi öncesi ve 3 haftalık KT uygulaması sonrası el kavrama gücü (p=0,001), el fonksiyonel indeksi (p=0,00) ve dokuz delikli test süresinde (p=0,001) anlamlı farklılık gözlendi.

Sonuç: KT uygulaması inme rehabilitasyonunda akut dönemde el fonksiyonlarına olumlu etkide bulunmaktadır. 

Keywords

• rehabilitasyon,İnme,kinezyobantlama,üst ekstremite

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