Author(s): WANG, K.L., LIN, Y., Institution: NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY, Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 1929

INTRODUCTION:
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome (SIS) is the commonest disorder of the shoulder, accounting for 44%–65% of all complaints of shoulder pain. Previous studies have found changes in scapular kinematics and muscle activation patterns. To restore altered scapular kinematics and muscle activation in individuals with SIS, treatments for SIS commonly include scapula-focused exercises or/and taping. Recently, a newly developed biomechanical taping technique, dynamic tape, has been used in clinical practice to provide load absorption, force contribution and modify movement. However, only few studies have investigated the effect of dynamic tape in individuals with musculoskeletal injuries and no research has investigated the effect of dynamic tape in combination with exercises, in individuals with SIS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of dynamic taping in combination with scapula-focused exercise, compared to exercise alone on scapular kinematic and muscle activity in individuals with subacromial impingement syndrome.
METHODS:
This was a randomized control trial. We plan to recruit 30 individuals with SIS and randomly assign them into either an exercise group (Control group) or a dynamic taping with exercise group (Taping group). Both groups received one 30-minute treatment protocol of scapula-focused exercise. The taping group performed exercise with dynamic taping, which was applied to increase scapular upward rotation, posterior tilt and external rotation. Outcome measures were collected at baseline and right after the treatment protocol. Outcome measures included scapular kinematics and scapular muscle activation (upper trapezius, lower trapezius and serratus anterior) during arm elevation with an electromagnetic device (Viper, Polhemus, Colchester, VT, USA) and surface electromyography (myoMotion, Noraxon, Scottdale, Ariz , USA). Scapular kinematics and muscle activation were calculated at 30° 60° 90° and 120° of the humerothoracic elevation. Changes from baseline to post-treatment were calculated to compare between groups.
RESULTS:
This is an ongoing study. Ten individuals have been recruited (four individuals (4M/0F) in the taping group with average age of 28y, height of 1.8m, and weight of 79kg and six (5M/1F) in the control group individuals with average age of 29y, height of 1.7m, and weight of 75kg). The individuals in the taping group demonstrated significant increases in scapular external rotation at all elevation angles (p = 0.01 – 0.02), compared to control group.
CONCLUSION:
Compared to those receiving only scapular motor control exercise, subjects having scapular motor control exercise with dynamic taping demonstrated increased scapular external rotation. These findings suggest that scapular exercise protocols for patients with SIS could include dynamic tape to improve scapular kinematics.