Athletic Tape Info Center

As the clinical applications for kinesiology taping continue to expand, an exciting area of growth is that of pediatric therapy and rehabilitation. Part of this expansion can be attributed to the development of new adhesive technologies and taping configurations suitable for infants and children. The other factor fueling the growth of pediatric kinesiology taping is the availability of a growing body of positive evidence-based research.

A recent article in ADVANCE for Physical Therapy & Rehab Medicine (November 29, 2010), presented 6 case studies involving infants and children with neurological injuries and/or developmental delays. Written by a physical therapist and an occupational therapist from Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, the article describes the use of kinesiology tape in both inpatient and outpatient settings. They noted that when patients are sent home with tape on, they can continue to receive therapeutic benefits the entire time the tape is worn.

The cases involved 10 children ranging in age from 18 months to 7 years, with a variety of conditions, including spina bifida, Chiara malformations, Prader Willi syndrome, DiGeorge syndrome, frontal lobe stroke and bilateral clubfeet. All of the following benefits were documented by quantifiable improvements in a variety of standardized tests:

• improved ability to sit independently
• improved ability to reach for a toy
• improved willingness/ability to initiate movements independently
• greater stability in trunk and leg muscles
• increased range of motion, target accuracy and fluency of motion
• improved stepping velocity and cadence
• improved gait accompanied by better posture
• improved balance
• decreased effort for gross motor tasks
• increased speed and fluency for gross motor tasks

The article concludes with the authors’ recommendation that both medical and allied health care practitioners should consider using kinesiology taping in their pediatric patients’ plans of care.

Additional Information for Clinicians

Printable Version of Article

Health Professionals Kinesiology Taping Resource Site