Effect of Inhibitory Kinesio-tape of the Upper Trapezius on Lower Trapezius Muscle Excitation

NCT04711447 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: HS22668 (E2019:019)
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 25
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Shoulder pain increases excitation (or activity) of the upper trapezius (UT) and reduces excitation in lower trapezius (LT). Despite inconclusive evidence, kinesio-tape (KT) is often used to modify muscular excitation within the UT and/or LT to help correct alterations in scapular position and motion associated with shoulder pain/injury. The objectives of the current study were to determine if: 1) inhibitory KT to the UT acutely increases muscle excitation (whole-muscle and spatial distribution) within the LT in healthy individuals; and 2) if loading the limb alters the magnitude of change in muscle excitation of the LT. We hypothesize that: 1) inhibitory KT application to the UT will immediately increase whole-muscle LT excitation, and result in an inferior shift in the distribution of excitation within the LT compared to no tape and sham-KT tape conditions; and 2) the magnitude of immediate increase in LT excitation with KT would be greater in the loaded condition. A repeated-measures, crossover design was used to determine the impact of KT applied to UT and load on muscle excitation of the LT. Participants were asked to perform a repeated arm elevation task during three different taping conditions: no KT, experimental KT and sham KT. Each taping condition performed the repeated arm elevation task during two loading conditions: no load and loaded with 2.3 kilograms. All six conditions were tested during one visit with the no load condition preceding the loaded condition for each taping condition. A baseline trial (no KT; N-KT) was performed first, followed by both an experimental-KT (E-KT) and sham-KT (S-KT) condition. The order of the E-KT and S-KT conditions were randomized and the order was counterbalanced. Testing for each tape condition lasted approximately 10-minutes for a total of 45-minutes per participant including screening, EMG set-up and clean-up. KT was applied to the UT and muscle excitation (EMG amplitude) was measured in the LT using one single 32-grid high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) electrode during a repeated arm elevation task.

Conditions

Scapular Dyskinesis

Keywords

kinesio tape (KT); Shoulder; upper trapezius; lower trapezius

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Whole-muscle Activation

  RMS measured using high-density EMG electrode grids

  Measured during 2nd-9th repetitions of the arm elevation task. Each repetition lasted approximately 1.5 seconds, thus the timeframe was approximately 12 seconds.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Spatial Distribution of Muscle Activation

  Measured during 2nd-9th repetitions of the arm elevation task. Each repetition lasted approximately 1.5 seconds, thus the timeframe was approximately 12 seconds.

Study Arms (2)

no-tape, experimental KT, sham KT

OTHER

Participants were asked to perform a repeated arm elevation task during three different taping conditions: no KT, experimental KT and sham KT. Each taping condition performed the repeated arm elevation task during two loading conditions: no load and loaded with 2.3 kilograms. All six conditions were tested during one visit with the no load condition preceding the loaded condition for each taping condition. This trial consisted of a baseline trial (no KT; N-KT) that was performed first, followed by both an experimental-KT (E-KT) and sham-KT (S-KT) condition.

Device: kinesio-tape

no-tape, sham KT, experimental KT

OTHER

Participants were asked to perform a repeated arm elevation task during three different taping conditions: no KT, experimental KT and sham KT. Each taping condition performed the repeated arm elevation task during two loading conditions: no load and loaded with 2.3 kilograms. All six conditions were tested during one visit with the no load condition preceding the loaded condition for each taping condition. This trial consisted of a baseline trial (no KT; N-KT) that was performed first, followed by both a sham-KT (S-KT) condition and experimental-KT (E-KT).

Device: kinesio-tape

Interventions

kinesio-tape DEVICE

Twenty-two individuals with healthy shoulders completed 10 repetitions of an arm elevation task during three taping conditions (no-tape, experimental KT, sham KT) and 2 loading conditions (no-load and loaded).

no-tape, experimental KT, sham KT; no-tape, sham KT, experimental KT

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• right-handed individuals
• no current shoulder pain or pathology in the shoulder, neck, back.

You may not qualify if:

• recent history (\<6 months) of injury or orthopedic disorder of the shoulder, upper back or neck (e.g. rotator cuff tears, disc pathologies, etc.)
• neurological or musculoskeletal disorder (e.g. epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
• current pain in the shoulder, upper back or neck
• previous allergies or skin irritation to adhesives.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Trisha Scribbans: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Athletic Tape

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Bandages; Equipment and Supplies; Orthotic Devices; Orthopedic Equipment; Surgical Equipment

Limitations and Caveats

No washout period utilized could lead to compounding effects of the kinesio-tape or sham tape conditions.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Trisha Scribbans
• Organization: University of Manitoba

trisha.scribbans@umanitoba.ca

(204) 272-1699

Study Officials

• Trisha Scribbans

  University of Manitoba

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 12, 2021
• First Posted: January 15, 2021
• Study Start: January 1, 2020
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2020
• Study Completion: July 1, 2020
• Last Updated: January 27, 2025
• Results First Posted: January 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-12

Locations

CA (1)