The role of kinesiotaping combined with botulinum toxin to reduce plantar flexors spasticity after stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of kinesiotaping as an adjuvant therapy to botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection in lower extremity spasticity.


METHODS
This is a single-center, randomized, and double-blind study. Twenty hemiplegic patients with spastic equinus foot were enrolled into the study and randomized into 2 groups. The first group (n=10) received BTX-A injection and kinesiotaping, and the second group (n=10) received BTX-A injection and sham-taping. Clinical assessment was done before injection and at 2 weeks and 1, 3, and 6 months. Outcome measures were modified Ashworth scale (MAS), passive ankle dorsiflexion, gait velocity, and step length.


RESULTS
Improvement was recorded in both kinesiotaping and sham groups for all outcome variables. No significant difference was found between groups other than passive range of motion (ROM), which was found to have increased more in the kinesiotaping group at 2 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no clear benefit in adjuvant kinesiotaping application with botulinum toxin for correction of spastic equinus in stroke.
Karadag-Saygi
Evrim
E
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Cubukcu-Aydoseli
Koza
K
Kablan
Nilufer
N
Ofluoglu
Demet
D
D000368:Aged; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A