Does neuromuscular taping influence hand kinesiology? A pilot study on Down's Syndrome.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This paper is a first attempt analysis of hand and upper limb proprioception coordination induced by NeuroMuscular Taping (NMT) application in a group of 5 participants with Down syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants underwent a drawing test with motion capture system acquisition before and after NMT application. Specific and descriptive parameters were computed and analysed in order to quantify the differences. RESULTS: Results showed statistical differences between pre and post treatment sessions the 5 participants with Down syndrome evidenced more reliance on proprioceptive signals in the post treatment session during the execution of the specific writing tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the hypothesis that modifications in proprioception should alter motor pathway mapping of the motor cortex, Neuromuscular taping may play a role in the treatment of dysgraphia and improving hand coordination following CNS impairment, even though a small treatment group was chosen for this pilot study the results lead to further discussions concerning the role of different afferent signals in a pathological context.