The effects of therapeutic taping on gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
Therapeutic taping to address dysfunctional sitting control in children with cerebral palsy (CP) was investigated in this study.


METHODS
Eighteen children with quadriplegic CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System for Cerebral Palsy levels IV (n = 9) and V (n = 9) participated in the 12-week program. Subjects were assigned randomly to one of two groups: therapeutic taping + physical therapy or physical therapy only. Therapeutic taping was applied for periods of up to 72 hours over the paraspinal region. The effects were assessed with the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) at baseline, six weeks, and 12 weeks. A factorial analysis of variance was used to examine group differences over time.


RESULTS
No significant differences were found for the GMFM-88 scores between groups over time.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic taping does not evoke a positive functional change in the seated postural control of children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Subjective observation, however, suggested that one child with athetosis benefited from therapeutic taping over the paraspinal region.
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Cheryl Burditt
CB
Department of Physical Therapy, Regis University, Denver, Colorado 80221-1099, USA. cfooter@regis.edu
D001415:Back; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D053832:Surgical Tape; D017211:Treatment Failure