earticle

영어

This study was conducted to identify the effect of muscle taping and joint taping applied to the patients with hemiplegia after stroke in improving static balance ability. Study subjects were 36 patients admitted in a general hospital, who randomly allocated 3 groups of control (applied physical therapy (PT) alone, n=12), muscle taping group (applied PT with muscle taping, n=12) and joint taping group (applied PT with joint taping, n=12). The indices of static balance ability were weight bearing, equilibrium score and stability index measured by SMART Balance Master before, just after and 24 hours after application of taping. The major findings analysed by repeated measures ANOVA were as follows;1. Weight bearing score was increased significantly just after application of taping and the effect was maintained after 24 hours in both taping groups. But there were no significant change in control group just after and 24 hours after application. 2. Equilibrium score were increased significantly just after and 24 hours after application of taping. But there were no significant change in control group just after and 24 hours after application. 3. Stability index was increased significantly just after application of taping. After 24 hours, while joint taping group showed further increase in stability index but muscle taping group did not. There were no significant change in control group just after and 24 hours after application. In conclusion, to sum up above results, both elastic taping modalities increased effectively the static balance ability of patients with hemiplegia after stroke. Furthermore, we suggest joint taping, which was similar to or more effective than muscle taping in improving static balance ability, be utilized more widely for hemiplegia patients.