Magnetic Resonance Elastography in the Assessment of Acute Effects of Kinesio Taping on Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles

Abstract

Background: Kinesio tape (KT) is an elastic therapeutic tape used for treating sports-related injuries and a number of other disorders. To date, the objective evidence to link pathophysiological effects and actual reactions triggered by KT is limited. Purpose: To explore the effect of KT on the lumbar paraspinal muscles by magnetic resonance (MR) elastography. Study Type: Prospective observational study. Population: Sixty-six asymptomatic volunteers with 31 women and 35 men. Field Strength/Sequence: 3.0T MRI and elastography with vibration frequency of 120 Hz. Assessment: The 5-cm-width KT with full tension was placed on a single side of the lumbar paraspinal muscle. The taping side and adhering direction were randomly decided. Two rectangular regions of interest (ROIs) of 5-and 2.5-cm-width were positioned at the bilateral paraspinal regions from the L2 to L4 level on the confidence map of MR elastography before and after KT taping. The mean shear stiffness values of the ROIs at the superficial, middle, and deep depths were recorded; then the differences between the taping and reference sides were calculated. Statistical Tests: Paired t-test and Pearson correlations were used to evaluate the stiffness changes after KT application and intraoperator errors of the stiffness measures on the reference side, respectively. Results: A significant decrease in the muscle stiffness value between taping and reference sides (-0.71 kPa ± 0.60 with KT and -0.25 kPa ± 0.78 without KT, P < 0.0001 for 5-cm ROI; -0.67 kPa ± 1.12 with KT and -0.16 kPa ± 1.17 without KT, P = 0.0004 for 2.5-cm ROI) was found in the superficial depth, but no significant differences in the middle and deep depths (P = 0.25 and P = 0.79 for 5-cm ROI; P = 0.09 and P = 0.67 for 2.5-cm ROI, respectively). There were no significant differences of muscle stiffness differences between gender (P = 0.11 for superficial, P = 0.37 for middle, P = 0.78 for deep) and taping direction (P = 0.18 for superficial, P = 0.13 for middle, P = 0.15 for deep). Data Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that KT can reduce the MR elastography-derived shear stiffness in the superficial depth of paraspinal muscles. Level of Evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

Ultrasound Elastography in the Assessment of the Stiffness of Spastic Muscles: A Systematic Review

“…Recent studies have evaluated spasticity (Beattie et al 2016;Marinelli et al 2017;Carlyle and Mochizuki 2018;Chen et al 2018) using electromyography (Cram and Steger 1983) and imaging techniques that quantify muscle spasticity in clinical practice (Illomei et al 2017). New technologies including magnetic resonance elastography (Creze et al 2018;Tan et al 2018;Nelissen et al 2019;Wang et al 2019) and USE show promising findings for the direct measurement of the mechanical properties of muscles (Brandenburg et al 2014). Furthermore, some studies reported that the symptoms of spasticity gradually develop after a stroke (Burke et al 2013) (Rodrigo et al).…”

Effect of Different Kinesio Taping Interventions on the Local Thresholds of Current Perception and Pressure Pain in Healthy Adults

“…KT intervention can reportedly cause measurable muscle deformation at the site of tape application and adjacent tissues (Pamuk and Yucesoy, 2015). Moreover, this intervention can allegedly rapidly decrease shear stiffness generated by the shallow depth of the muscles at the KT application site (Wang et al, 2019). Other studies stated that skin deformation after KT intervention may stimulate neuromuscular pathways (Paoloni et al, 2011;Álvarez-Álvarez et al, 2014).…”

“…Kim and Lee (2018) noted that the hardness of the upper trapezius muscle remarkably decreased and the PPT value substantially increased after applying the sternocleidomastoid muscle relaxation technique. Via magnetic resonance elastography, Wang et al (2019) observed the acute effects of KT intervention on a single side of the lumbar paraspinal muscle and found that the intervention reduced muscle stiffness near the taping area. By pulling more space between the skin and the subcutaneous fascia, KT improves blood and lymph flow, thereby reducing muscle stiffness.…”

Application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluating Ankle Motion Injury

“…Wang et al (2015) [9] used MRI to provide visualization of the human musculoskeletal system, indicating the biochemical composition of cartilage. Wang et al (2019) [10] studied the effect of MRI on the paraspinal muscles of the lumbar spine, and the results showed that the shear stiffness of superficial MRI of the paraspinal muscles could be reduced. Shen et al (2018) [11] analyzed the related factors of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury through MRI, and the results showed that the stenosis of intercondylar incision was the related factor of ACL injury.…”