Kinesio Taping and Physiotherapeutic Exercises for Children With DCD

Effect of Kinesio Taping and Functional Movement Power Training on Neuromuscular Performance, Motor Proficiency and Functional Independence in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of a novel elastic taping-augmented functional movement power training (KT-FMPT) program in improving leg muscular performance, body balance, motor proficiency and functional independence in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Methodology: In this clinical trial, twenty children with DCD (aged 6-12) will be randomly assigned to either a KT-FMPT group or a placebo control group. Children in the KT-FMPT and control groups will receive elastic taping-augmented FMPT and general jogging exercise with non-elastic taping, respectively, for 12 weeks (2 hours/week). Major outcome measures: body balance and leg muscle activity will be measured via muscle sensors along with a force platform. Secondary outcome measures: leg muscle strength, motor proficiency and functional independence will be assessed by a digital dynamometer, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, respectively (before- and after-intervention measurements). Significance: The KT-FMPT group is predicted to display much better muscular and motor performances than the control group. This novel training program can be readily adopted in clinical, school, or home settings to improve functional independence in children with DCD, an outcome with positive socioeconomic implications. Moreover, study findings will inspire future research work in children with other childhood-onset disabilities.

Subjects assigned to the Kinesio Taping - Functional Movement Power Training (KT-FMPT) group will receive FMPT concurrent with KT. The FMPT protocol was developed by the research team with reference to common physiotherapeutic exercises for children with motor disabilities.9 It comprises 5 functional movement exercises and 6 lower-limb power/resistance training exercises using weights or resistance bands.

Subjects assigned to the control group will receive no FMPT or KT, but participate in a jogging intervention with placebo tape applied on their calf muscles and removed after the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria: 6- to 12-years-old classified as DCD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V score < 5th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (MABC-2) total score < 46 on the DCD questionnaire (2007) attending a mainstream primary school with intelligence level within the normal range no KT or FMPT experience Exclusion Criteria: any known congenital, cognitive, psychiatric, neurological, sensorimotor, musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary disorder that may affect test performance receiving active rehabilitation treatment demonstrating excessive disruptive behaviour unable to follow instructions