title: Kinesio taping effect on quadriceps strength and lower limb function of healthy individuals: A blinded, controlled, randomized, clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze kinesio taping (KT) effect on quadriceps strength and lower limb function over a 7-day period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blind randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital's Physical Therapy Department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty healthy individuals (30 men and 30 women) were randomly distributed into three groups: Control--without KT application; Placebo--placebo KT application and Experimental--A KT application designed to stimulate quadriceps femoris activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quadriceps strength was measured using a manual dynamometer whereas lower limb function was assessed using the Single Hop Test for Distance. Evaluations occurred at five time-points: baseline; immediately, 3 and 5 days after KT application; and 72 h post KT withdrawal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant interaction between time-points and groups for muscle strength: dominant (P = 0.13) and non-dominant (P = 0.41) and lower limb function: dominant (P = 0.09) and non-dominant (P = 0.53); but lower limb function within-group comparisons showed improvements in all groups at the evolution of all time-points analyzed for both limbs (P = 0.001). This is possibly due to a learning effect as the participants became more familiar with executing the assessment tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KT did not improve quadriceps strength and lower limb function of healthy individuals and its application with these objectives should be reconsidered.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Sena Madureira, 1500, CEP 04021-001 São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: juliofernandes85@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernandes de Jesus
authors.affiliation: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Rua Cesário Mota Jr., 112, CEP 01221-020 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Almeida Novello
authors.affiliation: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Rua Cesário Mota Jr., 112, CEP 01221-020 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bezerra Nakaoka
authors.affiliation: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Rua Guaranésia, 425, CEP 02112-000 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curcio Dos Reis
authors.affiliation: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Rua Cesário Mota Jr., 112, CEP 01221-020 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Yukio
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, Rua Cesário Mota Jr., 112, CEP 01221-020 São Paulo, Brazil; Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, Av. Dr. Ussiel Cirilo, 225, CEP 08060-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernandes Bryk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055052:Athletic Tape; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Athletic performance; Athletic tape; Lower extremity; Muscle strength dynamometer