Primary Versus Accessory Respiratory Muscles Response to Kinesio Tape in Normal Subjects

Abstract
Background: Kinesio Tape is claimed to have the effect of increasing muscular strength.
Aim of Study: Was to find the effect of the Kinesio tape as a muscle technique applied to the primary respiratory muscles and accessory respiratory muscles on Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) and Maximum Expiratory Pressure (MEP).
Material and Methods: Sixty normal individuals their ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old. They were recruited from under & post graduate students at Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University. The subjects were randomly divided into 2 groups equal in number, Group A included 30 subjects, the Kinesio tape was applied to the primary inspiratory muscles (diaphragm and scaleni) of the subjects. Group B included 30 subjects, the Kinesio tape was applied to the sternocleido-mastoid (as accessory inspiratory muscle) and to the external abdominal oblique and internal abdominal oblique (as acces-sory expiratory muscles). The Kinesio tape application session was once every 4 days for a total study program of three weeks.
Results: There was a significant increase in the MIP in the group (A) compared with that of group (B) after the study program and there was a significant increase in the MEP in the group (B) compared with that of group (A) after the study program.
Conclusion: The results of this study support the impor-tance of applying Kinesio tape over respiratory muscles to improve their functions.