Physiotherapy Practice and Research 42 (2021) 69–77 69

DOI:10.3233/PPR-200459
IOS Press

Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy:

A content analysis of practitioner experience
Claire Smarta,∗ , Kylie Murphya , Kristen Andrewsa and Donalee Gregoryb
a School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia
b Kurrajong Therapy Plus, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia

Received 8 October 2020

Accepted 1 March 2021

Abstract.
INTRODUCTION: Kinesio tape (KT) is an emerging tool in paediatric physiotherapy. A small body of research suggests
KT is efficacious with some children, but clinical guidelines are not yet available. The aim of this study was to gather
physiotherapists’ practices and experiences using KT with children. The focus was on why, where, how, and how long
physiotherapists use KT with children, and the outcomes they observe, to guide future experimental research.
METHOD: Nine Australian physiotherapists, each with at least two years of experience using KT with children, were
recruited. All nine physiotherapists completed a largely open-ended online survey, and three of these physiotherapists
participated in a brief follow-up telephone interview. Basic content analysis was conducted.
RESULTS: The physiotherapists’ practices and experience with KT largely related to four themes: (1) taping for muscle
activation; (2) gait and posture outcomes; (3) child tolerance limiting effectiveness; and (4) inconsistent application methods
and treatment durations.
CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists in this study used KT to serve a variety of purposes, it was mainly considered beneficial
for improving gait and posture. However, there was little agreement regarding how to apply it, for how long, and the exact
nature of its benefits. Empirical research is also lacking on these questions. The effectiveness of KT as an adjunct therapy for
improving children’s posture and gait warrants further investigation. Research comparing specific taping application methods
and durations will be valuable in guiding physiotherapists’ practice.
Keywords: Physiotherapy, kinesio tape, paediatric, evidence-based practice, qualitative

1. Introduction However, the mechanisms underlying these claims

are yet to be investigated. The quantity and quality of
Physiotherapy interventions aim to maximize chil- evidence concerning KT use with children remains
dren’s functional abilities and participation [1]. In limited.
addition to traditional interventions, such as strength Much of the evidence for KT in paediatric physio-
training, adjunctive therapies include serial casting, therapy is limited to children with cerebral palsy (CP)
hydrotherapy, and kinesio taping [2, 3]. [6]. Güçhan and Mutlu [6] reviewed five studies that
Kinesio Tape (KT), also known as elastic thera- found that KT contributed to improvements in body
peutic, neuromuscular, kinaesthetic, or kinesiology structure and function, and activity and participation,
tape, is a form of adhesive tape applied to the skin. for children with CP. Measured outcomes included
The elastic properties allow it to be stretched up to the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Timed
60% from its original length [4]. It is claimed that Up and Go and The Functional Independence Mea-
KT increases muscle activity, re-educates the neu- sure for Children (Wee-FIM). However, four studies
romuscular system, and enhances performance [5]. in the same review found no statistically significant
∗ Corresponding
effect of KT. Unger et al. [7] also concluded in their
author: Claire Smart, School of Community
Health, Charles Sturt University, 386 Elizabeth Mitchell Dr, Thur-
systematic review that there is moderate evidence for
goona NSW 2640, Australia. Tel.: +61 1800 275 278; E-mail: KT as an adjunct to therapy for children with CP,
[email protected]. in particular for Gross Motor Function Classification

ISSN 2213-0683/$35.00 © 2021 – IOS Press. All rights reserved.

70 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy

Scale (GMFCS) levels I and II for sitting control as The questions guiding this study were:
measured by the GMFM. There is less evidence for
the effectiveness of KT when used for children with • Why, where, and how do physiotherapists apply
CP classified as GMFCS levels IV and V. Footer [8] KT in paediatric practice?
studied a therapeutic tape similar to KT, with chil- • For how long do physiotherapists apply the tape
dren with quadriplegic CP GMFCS levels IV and in paediatric practice, and why?
V. Over 12 weeks, Footer’s study tested for a rela- • What changes have physiotherapists noted in chil-
tionship between therapeutic taping (bilaterally along dren they have treated with KT?
paraspinal and trapezius muscles) and functional sit-
ting control, as measured by the GMFM-88. Footer
concluded that taping is ineffective in children with 2. Methods
exaggerated extensor tone and cognitive impairments
[8]. With children with CP GMFCS levels III, IV 2.1. Research design
and V, Şimşek et al. [9] found improvements in sit-
ting activity on the Sitting Assessment Scale (SAS) An online cross-sectional survey with largely
resulting from KT paraspinal taping, but not GMFM open-ended questions was conducted. Brief follow-
scores. up telephone interviews were conducted to clarify
There is a small body of research on the use of KT and elaborate on survey responses. This research was
in non-CP populations, including children with tor- conducted with the approval of Charles Sturt Univer-
ticollis [10–12], idiopathic scoliosis [13], dysphagia, sity’s Human Research Ethics Committee (Project #
and brachial plexus palsy [14, 15], and with children 400/2017/27).
in an acute setting [16]. Overall, existing research
on the use of KT with children remains limited and 2.2. Sampling and recruitment
equivocal, with only a small number of controlled
clinical trials [2]. Moreover, the small sample sizes Purposive sampling required the recruitment of
and heterogeneous nature of participants in KT stud- physiotherapists who had experience in the specific
ies, and the lack of standardization and transparency field of interest [19]. To be included, participants
of KT application techniques and durations, limit the were required to be a qualified physiotherapist with
clinical utility of the evidence currently available [2, a minimum of two years of experience using KT
17]. Rigorous experimental studies are required to with children. A longer minimum period of experi-
analyse possible mechanisms of effectiveness and ence was considered too restrictive, given that KT is a
identify moderating factors [2, 6]. relatively new tool in paediatric practice in Australia.
Notwithstanding the absence of strong empiri- Physiotherapists were invited to participate in this
cal evidence and the lack of evidence-based clinical study by email and/or by an information sheet dis-
guidelines, physiotherapists are using KT with chil- tributed via the Australian Physiotherapy Association
dren, presumably based on a trial-and-error approach paediatric physiotherapy group. The email was also
and some anecdotal success. These physiotherapists distributed to the professional networks of physio-
are accumulating clinical experience that has not yet therapy academics at Charles Sturt University and
been captured, but which may help to guide clinically paediatric physiotherapists known to the researchers.
useful future research in this area. Further research is The emails encouraged recipients to forward the
needed to establish how KT is effective, with which information on to others who met the inclusion crite-
children, and under what circumstances. There is also ria, as a form of snowball sampling [20].
a need to identify factors that might moderate the
effectiveness of KT, so that such factors can be appro- 2.3. Data collection
priately accounted for in future experimental studies.
There is currently no published research investi- The survey was built with SurveyMonkey® and
gating practice-based insights about the use of KT included ten questions, including open-ended and
with children. The aim of the current study was to multiple-choice questions (see Table 1).
gather physiotherapists’ experiences with KT in pae- The survey was piloted with a physiotherapist who
diatric practice. The intention was to uncover relevant was experienced in paediatric practice, for feedback
issues and promising directions to guide the focus and regarding the clarity of the questions. This feedback
design of future research in this area. was used to refine the survey questions to increase
 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy 71

Table 1
Research and survey questions
Research question Survey question Response type
For screening and • In what area of physiotherapy • Multiple choice:
sample description have you predominantly been ◦ Acute care
purposes only using KT with children? ◦ Non-acute care
• How many years of experience • Multiple choice
do you have working with KT ◦ Less than 2 years
in paediatric physiotherapy? (survey terminated here)
◦ 2-3 years
◦ 4-5 years
◦ More than 5 years
Why, where and how do • In your experience, for what • Comment box
paediatric physiotherapists purpose(s)/problem(s)/outcome(s) is
apply KT? KT with children most effective?
• In a situation where you think KT • Comment box
with children has been effective,
where on the body and how
did you apply KT and why?
• Are there any times you have found • Comment box
KT to be ineffective in a particular situation
or for a particular outcome? Why do
you think it was ineffective?
• In this box, please share any other • Comment box
thoughts you have about using KT with children
How long do paediatric • How long do you use KT in a single application? • Comment box
physiotherapists apply the How long do you leave between taping applications?
tape for, and why? Are there any reasons for choosing these time frames?
• How long do you use KT as an intervention? • Comment box
Is there any reason for this time frame?
What changes have paediatric • What changes have you observed in children who • Comment box
physiotherapists noted have been treated with KT?
in children that they Please be as specific as possible.
have treated with KT?

the specificity of participants’ answers. The survey by the participants. Constant comparisons between
did not require all questions to be answered as there new codes and the developing categories were made;
was the potential for answers to relate to more than and where needed, new categories were created to
one question and repetition of information was not accommodate the data [21, 22]. Due to the anony-
desired. It was optional for the participants to pro- mous nature of the survey and the nature of basic
vide their contact details for a follow-up interview. content analysis, member checking was not under-
The follow-up interviews were conducted by the taken.
lead researcher using a semi-structured interview A preliminary set of categories was generated by
guide based on the respondent’s survey responses; sorting the data into as many categories as possible
for example, seeking more detail about the therapist’s and labelling these descriptively [22]. The data was
KT training, methods of parent education, or changes read through several times to ensure all survey-item
in practice with KT experience [21]. responses were allocated to at least one category.
After the preliminary category list was generated,
2.4. Data analysis the categories were subsumed under themes and,
where applicable, subthemes were created to assimi-
As the survey data was submitted and the telephone late closely related categories [23].
interview data was transcribed, it was transferred to
an Excel spread sheet. Basic content analysis was
then undertaken by one coder, with regular consen- 3. Results
sus discussions with the other researchers. While care
was taken to respect the non-hermeneutic nature of A total of nine participants responded to the online
basic content analysis [18], categories were gener- survey, all of whom met the inclusion criteria. As
ated inductively to fit the points (or codes) expressed shown in Table 2, seven participants reported having
72 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy

Table 2 Table 3
Characteristics of participants Summary of the content analysis findings
Number of Number of
participants participants
Current area of employment Why apply KT?
Non-acute care 9 Muscle activation 8
Acute care 0 Muscle relaxation 4
Years of experience with KT Proprioception 4
Two to three 7 Increased weight shift 3
Four to five 2 Improved endurance 2
More than five 0 Who with?
Source of KT training/knowledge Children with cerebral palsy 5
KT course by Milestones Therapy 1 GMFCS levels I, II and III
Previously used rigid tape 1 Hypermobility Syndrome 4
Previously used KT in sport 1 Scoliosis 1
Tutorial book 1 Motor Developmental Delay 1
Independent research 1 Patella Femoral Joint Pain Syndrome 1
University course material 1 Where and how?
‘I’ strip on various sites 4
‘Y’ strip on various sites 1
2-3 years of experience using KT in paediatric prac- Two ‘I’ strips to create an ‘X’ 1
tice, and two participants reported having 4-5 years of shape over abdominals
experience. Five participants agreed to be contacted Paper-off technique 3
Through fingers or toes 2
for a follow-up telephone interview; however, only
Sports taping 2
three participants responded to subsequent contact Factors limiting use or effectiveness
and consented to being interviewed. Each inter- Lack of tolerance 7
view lasted between three and a half minutes and Skin sensitivity or integrity 3
Comorbid conditions 3
eight minutes. All participants were physiotherapists High spasticity 1
practicing within Australia, with experience only in Tactile defensiveness 1
non-acute care. In this section, the findings are orga- Duration of single application of KT
nized under the three broad research questions. The ‘Two to three days on’ 5
‘Five days on’ 4
findings are summarized in Table 3. Activity specific 2
Duration of overall KT treatment
3.1. Why, where and how do paediatric Varied within and between all practitioners 9
physiotherapists apply KT? Reason for KT duration decisions
Until goal met (e.g., reasonable improvement, 4
no further improvement, see carry-over effect)
3.1.1. Why do paediatric physiotherapists apply Consultation with parents 2
KT? As advised in a course or by a colleague 2
KT was used for a variety of treatment aims. These Sweat caused removal 2
Observed improvements
were not mutually exclusive, with two or more aims Improved posture 5
often overlapping. A common aim was muscle acti- Reduced toe walking 3
vation: activation of weak or underactive muscles Child or parent perceived improvement 7
was reported by eight of the nine participants. Four Improved endurance 2
Improvement in upper limb function 2
participants reported using KT to activate the trans- Improved task-specific function 2
verse abdominal muscle, three mentioned the dorsi
flexor (tibialis anterior) muscle, two mentioned trunk weight shift, two participants reported taping to
extensors, one mentioned the trapezius muscle, and improve endurance for children with pain and fatigue
one mentioned taping the phalangeal extensors, wrist related to hypermobility, and one reported aiming to
extensors, and supinator muscles. However, four par- increase stability of the jaw to assist chewing.
ticipants reported using KT for muscle relaxation: to
reduce hypertonia, myofascial tension, or lower back 3.2. Who do physiotherapists use KT with?
spasms.
Four participants also reported using KT to in- Five participants reported using KT with children
crease proprioception to reduce toe walking or imp- with cerebral palsy GMFCS levels I, II and III. Two
rove sitting and dynamic postures in children with reported using KT with children with hemiplegia.
CP. Three participants reported using KT to increase One participant each reported using KT with children
 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy 73

with diplegic, ataxic, and dystonic CP. In addition, 3.5. Involving parents in KT treatment
four participants reported using KT with children
with hypermobility syndrome. One participant used The three participants who participated in a phone
KT with children with structural and postural scol- interview reported educating parents as part of their
iosis and gross motor developmental delay, and one KT treatment. One participant reported coaching par-
other reported using KT with children with patella ents about the expectation of KT and said some
femoral joint pain syndrome. families became confident in taping application.
However, another participant reported that some par-
3.3. Where and how do paediatric ents prefer to leave the responsibility of taping to the
physiotherapists apply KT? physiotherapist. Two of the three participants said
that some parents video-record the KT demonstra-
Four participants reported using an ‘I’ strip tap- tion. One of these participants also reported providing
ing technique. Two participants used this to activate instructional handouts to parents.
the transverse abdominals and bilateral obliques. One
reported using an ‘I’ strip across the heel from medial
to lateral malleoli. One reported using a ‘Y’ strip 3.6. Use of KT as an adjunct therapy
in a variety of ways including: to inhibit the plan-
tar flexor muscles, on the temporomandibular joint, All of the participants reported using KT only
and to activate the pectoralis major muscle. One par- as an adjunct to conventional therapy. One partici-
ticipant reported combining two ‘I’ strips to create pant emphasized pairing KT with functional training
an ‘X’ shape with the abdominals in shortened posi- to maximise results. Three participants reported
tion. Three participants used a paper-off technique instructing the parents to increase their home exer-
when applying KT. When using this technique, one cises (e.g., encouraging parents to increase intensity
participant stated that they applied KT from origin to of gait training when taping to increase ankle dorsi-
insertion. flexion).
Two participants reported using KT through toes or
fingers. Both reported using this technique for assist- 3.7. For how long do paediatric physiotherapists
ing dorsi-flexion. One used an ‘I’ strip with diamonds apply the tape, and why?
cut to separate toes. The other participant reported
applying KT through the fingers for wrist extension. 3.7.1. Duration of single application of KT
Two participants used a sports taping technique, one There was no consensus among the participants
of whom stated this was for the prevention of inver- regarding the duration of a single application. Indeed,
sion ankle sprains. for any single participant, there was no one standard
duration. Five out of the nine participants reported
3.4. Factors limiting effectiveness using KT for ‘two to three days on’ per week. The
other four participants reported using KT for ‘five
Seven out of the nine participants reported that days on’. Two participants also noted that they use KT
the child or family did not always tolerate KT. Two as required, depending on the specific purpose (e.g.,
of these participants reported that a child’s discom- using facial tape during mealtimes only, or using KT
fort during removal of the tape caused them to during game time to enhance performance).
fear reapplication. Three participants reported that
skin sensitivity or integrity (e.g., eczema) reduced
application duration and consequently the tape’s 3.8. Duration of overall KT treatment
effectiveness.
Three participants reported that they experienced Reported treatment durations varied between the
cases in which taping did not produce the expected participants. In one participant’s experience, the nor-
results due to comorbid limitations, particularly beh- mal duration was two to three applications. Another
avioural and cognitive processing challenges. One participant reported taping for two to five sessions.
noted that KT was also inappropriate in a child with Another reported an initial trial time of three weeks,
a high degree of spasticity. For another participant, increasing to six weeks for some older children.
tactile defensiveness was a condition for which KT Another participant reported using KT for no longer
was considered inappropriate. than six weeks because of skin tolerance concerns.
74 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy

3.9. Reason for KT duration decisions Seven participants reported child or parent perce-
ived improvements. Three reported a decrease in pain
Six participants reported that decisions regarding as reported by the child or parent. Two reported that
treatment duration were largely influenced by the KT improved children’s splint- and shoe-wearing
child’s tolerance of the tape. Four reported that they time, as reported by parents. Three participants
continue taping as long as required to achieve the reported a parent perceived reduction in falls at home
goal. One reported using KT as long as needed until after KT intervention.
there is ‘reasonable improvement’. Another reported
that they use KT as long as they see ‘follow over
results’ or a ‘carry over effect’. 4. Discussion
Consultation with the parents was reported by two
participants as an important factor in determining The aim of this study was to explore physiother-
KT treatment duration. Two considerations were the apists’ experiences with the use of KT in children:
child’s or family’s tolerance of the tape and the par- why, where, how, and how they apply KT; how long
ent’s ability to safely remove the tape. they apply it for; and what changes they have
Two participants chose timeframes because they noted. A range of clinical experiences were captured
were recommended by a paediatric taping course or that signal important considerations and worthwhile
a colleague. KT coming off due to sweat was noted directions for future research. Muscle activation was
by another two participants, either during a treatment the most commonly reported treatment aim, followed
session or during the following days. One participant by muscle relaxation and proprioception. Cerebral
reported that the duration was influenced by the avail- palsy was the most frequently reported diagnostic
ability of the next appointment, usually a week after group. Reported sites and techniques of KT appli-
tape application. cation varied. Durations of single KT applications
and overall KT treatment durations also varied. The
3.10. What changes do physiotherapists note in participants considered a range of contextual fac-
children they have treated with KT? tors when deciding whether and for how long to use
KT. These factors included child factors (e.g., child
Seven participants reported an improvement in gait tolerance, skin sensitivity, sweating), parent factors
as an outcome of using KT. Two of these participants (e.g., the parent’s willingness and ability to apply and
reported an improvement in functional joint range remove KT), and evidence of benefit. The participants
which resulted in gait improvements. Five reported an noted a wide range of positive outcomes in children
improvement in posture. For example, one participant they have treated with KT, most commonly improve-
reported an improved posture measured by postu- ments in gait and posture. Other less frequently rep-
ral photo assessment and sacral angle measurement. orted outcomes included improved chewing.
Three participants noted a decrease in toe walking, The use of KT by almost all the participants for
based on pre- and post-gait observation. muscle activation is consistent with KT use in exist-
Two participants reported improvement in endu- ing research [9, 24]. However, given the beliefs/aims
rance, which increased activity participation time. of some of the participants regarding the use of KT
Two participants reported an improvement in upper for muscle relaxation, research ruling out or confirm-
limb function. For example, one reported an improve- ing the ability of KT to induce muscle relaxation
ment in functional hand use with the wrist in would be helpful. The current study shows that some
an extended position. Two participants reported an physiotherapists are using KT for transverse abdo-
improvement in the quality of a functional task: stair minis activation; however, there is no published rese-
climbing, table-top tasks, or handwriting. One par- arch investigating KT for muscle activation of the
ticipant also reported an improvement in balance transverse abdominis muscle in children. Since impr-
strategies. ovements have been reported in the research literature
One participant reported improvement in a child’s with other postural muscles, research on the effect of
ability to chew, based on time to complete a meal and KT use with this specific muscle is warranted.
amount of intake. One participant reported a decrease The participants’ exclusive use of KT with children
in exertional dystonia during standing and walking. with CP GMFCS level I, II and III is also consistent
One participant noted improvement in a child’s sports with past research findings [7, 9, 25]. Footer [8] found
performance. that use of KT with children with CP GMFCS level
 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy 75

IV or V was not effective. Children with CP GMFCS safest and most effective ways to test sensitivity to
level IV and V often have comorbid conditions [26] KT have not been identified. Research into the safest
which, as suggested by participants in this study, may KT sensitivity-testing method is warranted.
compromise the effectiveness of KT. In the current The observed improvements in gait reported by
study, participants believed factors such as spasticity almost all the participants in this study is consis-
compromise KT effectiveness. tent with past research. In a case report, Fergus [30]
The participants’ taping techniques were inconsis- found that foot and ankle taping can improve align-
tent. This may partly be because the tape is applied ment of the foot for a child with CP. Iosa et al. [31] also
with varying aims. For example, taping was reported found similar results with a child with CP. However,
for both activating and relaxing muscles. However, research investigating gait improvements in paedi-
the fact that past research has not compared the atric population groups other than CP is lacking.
effectiveness of different application methods for any Since some physiotherapists are finding gait improve-
particular aim is a limitation in the existing evidence ments from KT use with a range of paediatric groups,
base. Indeed, the general lack of transparency in further research in this area would seem promising.
application methods in the existing literature limits The participants’ observations of postural improv-
repeatability and clinical utility [2, 27]. In the absence ements are also consistent with past studies that have
of evidence comparing different techniques, clini- employed varying taping methods to improve posture
cians are required to analyse the functional deficit and [9, 32, 33]. For example, Unger et al. [7] found KT to
apply the tape using their clinical reasoning [6]. The be an effective intervention when applied to the trunk
current study highlights the potential helpfulness of and recommended further research into methods of
future research directly comparing taping techniques truncal taping. Research directly comparing taping
for a particular purpose. methods for postural improvement would be useful
The durations of KT use also varied. Research for determining whether there is one most effective
investigating the most effective KT application dura- method.
tions for particular purposes is limited. In general The absence of empirical evidence to support clin-
(beyond KT use), there is a lack of published research ical practice is not uncommon. Sniderman, LaCh-
investigating minimal timeframes for eliciting clini- apelle, Rachon, and Furberg [34] argue that clinical
cally significant improvements. However, one study reasoning, driven by experience, is the key to bridging
by Christiansen and Lange [28] found that continu- this gap. This pragmatic approach acknowledges the
ous conventional physiotherapy showed no additional importance of flexibility and trial and error in building
benefit when compared to four-week interventions clinical experience. Ross [35] defined five sources of
with six-week pauses [28]. More research focused knowledge that guide decision making: traditional,
on questions of duration in relation to specific pur- authority, trial and error, personal experience, and
poses (e.g., muscle activation) is needed to guide research. Naturally, when one area is lacking, there
physiotherapists. is increased reliance on another. Smith, Higgs, and
The participants in this study reported issues con- Ellis [36] also espoused the importance of integrating
cerning child and family tolerance, particularly skin multiple decision-making factors in evidence-based
sensitivity. This point has attracted surprisingly lit- practice. The findings of the current study reinforce
tle attention in the existing research literature. Safety the importance of clinical experience and strong clini-
of KT application has been discussed in relation to cal reasoning in evidence-based practice, particularly
cancer lymphoedema treatment [29]. However, such when there is a lack of available research evidence.
research is not directly transferrable to paediatric This study also highlights the importance of conduct-
practice. In the existing paediatric KT research lit- ing research on questions of real-world relevance to
erature, Giray et al. [12] used a 24-hour period to test clinicians.
for allergic reaction. Şimşek et al. ‘followed’ (with
unclear meaning) children for three days to monitor 4.1. Directions for future research
for skin irritation. Footer [8] completed an eight-
day skin check to rule out any responses to the tape. This study has several implications for future
The issue of skin sensitivity should be assessed more research in this area. A number of child, parent,
directly in future KT research. Güçhan and Mutlu and KT-knowledge factors were identified as factors
[6] pointed out that allergy and sensitivity to taping affecting the clinical decision-making of the par-
needs to be monitored in KT research. However, the ticipants in this study. This suggests that clinician
76 C. Smart et al. / Kinesio tape in paediatric physiotherapy

decisions in past studies may have been affected by unresolved questions and directions for further re-
similar factors, but variations in treatment implemen- search, the nature of the conclusions that could be
tation and the importance of context-based flexibility drawn would not likely have changed.
are rarely acknowledged in the existing literature. Notwithstanding its limitations, this study has
Future research should aim for greater transparency found that some physiotherapists are using KT in the
regarding child tolerance, parental involvement, and absence of evidence-based guidelines, in ways that
choice of technique to help maximize clinical appli- have not yet been empirically tested. The strength
cability. Research should also focus on the practices of these findings is not detracted by the limitations
engaged in by participants in this study. For exam- acknowledged here.
ple, RCTs with children with cerebral palsy, focusing
on specific GMFCS level I-III, comparing the effects
of different KT application methods and durations 5. Conclusion
for specific gait and posture issues are needed.
Researchers in this area should also report the main The aim of this study was to investigate physiother-
treatment to which the taping is an adjunct, the train- apists’ real-world experiences with KT in paediatric
ing provided to clinicians, the treatment durations and practice. It was found that physiotherapists are using
precise taping methods, the skin sensitivity assess- KT for a variety of purposes, believing it to be ben-
ments used, and the reasons behind any deviations eficial for facilitating muscle activation, particularly
from the initial protocol. Researchers should also use for improving gait and posture. However, there was
and report on outcome measures which are able to little agreement amongst participants regarding how
be employed by practitioners in their practice to help the tape is best applied and for how long. There is
improve their clinical practice. Ideally, both short- a corresponding lack of empirical evidence on these
term and longer-term effects of KT on children’s questions. A promising direction for future research
functioning should also be assessed. The outcomes would be RCTs focused on the effectiveness of KT
of such research would provide valuable guidance to as an adjunct therapy in improving children’s pos-
clinicians. ture and gait, directly comparing specific application
methods and durations. It is hoped that the current
4.2. Limitations study prompts further research to help maximise the
effective use of KT, to enhance the lives of children
The scope of this study was limited to identifying who might benefit.
the experiences of physiotherapists using KT with
children. No conclusions about the frequency of use
or the effectiveness of KT in paediatric practice can
Conflict of interest
be drawn. This study did not investigate the views of
the patients or their parents; nor the veracity of the
The authors have no conflict of interest to report.
physiotherapists’ accounts. This study also did not
focus on other types of therapeutic tape.
This study was limited only to physiotherapists
practicing within Australia. It should be acknowl- References
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