Healthy Volunteers, Motor Performance, Perceived Function, Upper Extremity Function
Conditions
Keywords
Kinesio Taping, Placebo Effect, Upper Extremity Performance, Grip Strength, Reaction Time, Manual Dexterity, Healthy Adults, Sham-Controlled Trial, Strength
Brief summary
This study investigates whether Kinesio Taping has immediate effects on upper extremity performance in healthy adults and whether these effects may be influenced by placebo mechanisms. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: therapeutic Kinesio Taping, sham Kinesio Taping, or no intervention. All participants complete tests of hand function, including grip strength, typing performance, reaction time, and manual dexterity, before and after a short standardized waiting period. Participants also rate their perceived performance, comfort, and overall change. The purpose of this study is to investigate the immediate effects of therapeutic Kinesio Taping on objective upper extremity motor performance and perceived function in healthy adults, and to determine whether perceived improvements correspond to measurable changes in motor performance.
Detailed description
This study is a single-blind, three-arm randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the immediate effects of Kinesio Taping on upper extremity motor performance and perceived function in healthy adults and to compare therapeutic Kinesio Taping with sham Kinesio Taping and a no-intervention control condition.. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: therapeutic Kinesio Taping applied with tension, sham Kinesio Taping applied without tension, or a no-intervention control condition. The intervention targets the wrist extensor musculature of the dominant upper extremity. Both taping conditions follow the same application procedure and positioning, differing only in the level of tension to isolate the mechanical versus perceptual effects of the tape. The control group follows the same testing timeline without receiving any intervention. Outcome measures are collected at baseline and immediately after a standardized 20-minute waiting period. Objective measures include maximal grip strength, typing performance, choice reaction time, and manual dexterity. Subjective measures include perceived performance, task ease, comfort, and global rating of change. The study is conducted in a controlled and standardized testing environment with consistent equipment, procedures, and instructions across participants. This design enables comparison of both objective upper extremity motor performance and patient-reported outcomes among the therapeutic Kinesio Taping, sham Kinesio Taping, and no-intervention control groups.
Interventions
DEVICEKinesio Taping
Elastic therapeutic tape applied to the wrist extensor muscles of the dominant upper extremity using approximately 25% tension according to a standardized application protocol.
DEVICESham Kinesio Taping
Elastic tape applied to the wrist extensor muscles of the dominant upper extremity without tension, using the same placement and procedure as the therapeutic intervention to mimic sensory and procedural aspects without intended therapeutic effect.
Sponsors
Istinye University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
Participants assigned to the taping groups are blinded to whether they receive therapeutic or sham Kinesio Taping. The sham application mimics the appearance and procedure of real taping but is applied without tension to maintain blinding. Due to the inclusion of a no-intervention control group, complete masking across all study arms is not feasible.
Intervention model description
Participants are randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups: therapeutic Kinesio Taping, sham Kinesio Taping, or no-intervention control. Each participant remains in their assigned group for the duration of the study. Outcome measures are assessed at baseline and immediately after a standardized 20-minute period, allowing comparison of changes between groups.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Being healthy adult between 18-40 years * No current pain or injury in the dominant upper extremity * No history of chronic musculoskeletal conditions affecting the upper extremity * Ability to read, understand, and provide informed consent * Regular use of a standard keyboard and mouse, with a minimum self-reported typing frequency of ≥5 hours per week, ensuring familiarity with digital typing tasks and adequate baseline fine motor coordination.
Exclusion criteria
* Respiratory, neurological, or cardiovascular disorders * History of surgery or fracture in the dominant upper extremity within the last six months * Known allergy or skin sensitivity to adhesives or Kinesio Tape materials * Current use of medications affecting physical performance or sensation * Participation in ongoing physical therapy or rehabilitation * Diagnosed cognitive impairment or visual deficits that could affect typing or reaction-time performance * Engagement in high-level upper extremity sports (\>10 hours/week) that could bias grip or typing performance
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maximal Grip Strength | Baseline and immediately post-intervention (within 2-3 minutes after a 20-minute waiting period) | Maximal grip strength of the dominant hand measured in kilograms using a digital hand dynamometer. The highest value from three trials is recorded. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Typing Performance (Corrected Words Per Minute) and Accuracy | Baseline and immediately post-intervention | Typing speed measured using a standardized computer-based typing task; corrected words per minute calculated by accounting for errors And Typing accuracy measured as the percentage of correct entries during a standardized typing task. |
| Choice Reaction Time | Baseline and immediately post-intervention | Reaction time measured in milliseconds using a computer-based Go/No-Go task, calculated as the mean response time for correct trials. |
| Manual Dexterity (Nine-Hole Peg Test) | Baseline and immediately post-intervention | Fine motor dexterity assessed using the Nine-Hole Peg Test; fastest completion time recorded in seconds. |
| Perceived Performance Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Immediately post-intervention | Self-reported perceived performance measured using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates no perceived improvement and 100 indicates maximum perceived improvement. Higher scores indicate better perceived performance. |
| Task Ease Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Immediately post-intervention | Self-reported task ease measured using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates much harder, 50 indicates no change, and 100 indicates much easier. Higher scores indicate greater perceived ease of task performance. |
| Comfort Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Immediately post-intervention | Self-reported comfort measured using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates extremely uncomfortable and 100 indicates extremely comfortable. Higher scores indicate greater comfort. |
| Global Rating of Change (GRC) | Immediately post-intervention | Participant-reported overall perceived change measured using a 15-point Global Rating of Change (GRC) scale ranging from -7 (vastly worse) to 0 (no change) to +7 (vastly better). Higher scores indicate greater perceived improvement. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
STUDY_CHAIRBegüm kara Kaya, PhD
Biruni University
Outcome results
None listed