The Effect of Kinesio Taping on Seated Postural Control in Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy Children

Background: Children with spastic diplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP) often show the difficulty to achieve well-balanced sitting posture and display the poor sitting posture such as flexed trunk with kyphotic curvature of the spine and asymmetry of trunk. Aim of the Study: The present study was designed to determine the effectiveness of kinesio taping over the paraspi-nal muscles in improving sitting balance in young children with Spastic Diplegic (CP) who displayed poor trunk control. Material and Methods: Thirty children with Spastic Diplegic (CP) of both sexes with age ranged between 10-16 months were included in this study. Children were randomly assigned to two equal groups (Group I and Group II). The study group (Group I) was treated by kinesio taping which was applied over the paraspinal region for 12 successive weeks in addition to a designed physical therapy program. The control group (Group II) was treated by the designed physical therapy program only. The children were evaluated by sitting score of Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and radiographic studies (Kyphotic and Cobb s angles) were carried out on the whole spine while the children were sitting before and after treatment. Results: There was a statistically significant improvement in the measured parameters in both groups when comparing their pre and post treatment mean values. However, significant difference was recorded between the two groups after treatment in favor of the study group. Conclusion: The obtained results suggest that the appli-cation of kinesio taping over the trunk become a beneficial therapeutic technique in improving the sitting posture and trunk control in children with Spastic Diplegic (CP) when adjunct to a physical therapy program.