Authors (including presenting author) :
Ho CM, Tsui SKA
Affiliation :
Physiotherapy Department, TWGHs Wong Tai Sin Hospital
Introduction :
Hip fracture often leads to strength deficits in hip musculature especially the abductors, hip pain and mobility limitation. Kinesio taping, a common and safe tool in the management of musculoskeletal disorders, has been hypothesized to facilitate muscle contraction, alleviate pain and enhance neuromuscular control.
Objectives :
This study aims to investigate the immediate effects of Kinesio taping on hip abductor muscle strength, pain and mobility in post-operative hip fracture patients, in order to explore its potential role in hip fracture rehabilitation.
Methodology :
A single-blinded (subject) two-arm parallel group randomized controlled trial was conducted. 20 post-operative hip fracture patients under the musculoskeletal rehabilitation program in WTSH were recruited. After informed consent, the subjects were randomized into two groups: Kinesio taping (n=10) and placebo taping (n=10), involving the application of Kinesio tapes and micropore tapes respectively over the gluteus medius.
Outcome measures were recorded before and immediately after the intervention. The primary outcome measure was hip abductor isometric strength measured by handheld dynamometer. The secondary outcome measures included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and 6-meter walk test, used to evaluate pain level and walking speed respectively. Within-group and between-group analyses were done using paired t-test and independent t-test respectively by SPSS Statistics.
Result & Outcome :
Among the 20 recruited subjects, the mean age was 83.9. No adverse events or attrition occurred in this study.
A significant increase in hip abductor muscle strength was found in the Kinesio taping group (p<0.001). The placebo taping group also demonstrated a positive effect on muscle strength (p=0.017) with a smaller magnitude of increment. The between-group difference was statistically significant (p<0.001).
Significant reduction in the time taken for the 6-meter walk test was also found in the Kinesio taping group (p<0.001) with a significant between-group difference (p<0.001).
Regarding pain level, however, no significant reduction in VAS score was found in both the Kinesio taping group (p=0.168) and placebo taping group (p=0.343).
The study findings support the effectiveness of Kinesio taping on strength and mobility enhancement in hip fracture patients. Kinesio taping serves as an adjunct therapeutic tool in hip fracture rehabilitation and can possibly be incorporated into the post-discharge home exercise program for self-management, in view of its commercial availability and ease of administration.
