Effect of Kinesio Tape and Breathing Exercises in Hyperkyphosis

NCT ID: NCT07028307

Last Updated: 2025-06-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-01-03
• Study Completion Date: 2025-04-29

Brief Summary

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of breathing exercises alone and in combination with kinesiotape application on pain experience, postural alignment, sleep quality, anxiety level, and respiratory capacity in university students with thoracic hyperkyphosis. A total of 30 university students aged between 19-30 with complaints of back pain and increased kyphosis were included in the study and the participants were divided into 2 groups. Breathing exercises included yogic pranayama techniques and were performed 5 days a week for 4 weeks. In the breathing exercises and kinesiotape group, in addition to the breathing exercises applied; kinesiotape application for hyperkyphosis was applied once a week for 4 weeks. Within the scope of the study, participants' posture, respiratory capacity, pain level, anxiety level and functional posture parameters were evaluated.

Detailed Description

Today, back pain has become one of the most common health problems encountered by physiotherapists. In the emergence of back pain; structural, functional and mechanical disorders of the spine, biological factors such as obesity, psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, and social factors such as age, gender, economic status and working conditions play an important role. In addition, staying inactive for long hours, incorrect sitting positions, lifting heavy loads or repetitive incorrect movements can also cause back pain to worsen. Today's living conditions, with the decrease in physical activity and increase in stress, cause back pain to become more common. In order to prevent this situation, it is very important to do regular exercise, gain posture habits suitable for body mechanics and create ergonomic working conditions. One of the most important causes of back pain is posture disorder. Bad posture disrupts the equal distribution of compressive and tension forces that should be balanced on the body axis, causing various structural problems in the spine. As a result, nerve roots can be compressed, intervertebral foramina can narrow, and repetitive tensions can occur in the muscles, causing back pain. Bad posture, which is considered inadequate body posture, causes muscles, bones, and other structures to work excessively, paving the way for serious problems to develop in the body over time. Smartphone addiction in university students can lead to many physical ailments such as back, waist, and neck pain. It has been observed that back pain in university students is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, back pain caused by kyphosis can also affect psychological status. Schmidt stated that back pain is more severe in patients who are insecure and uncompliant, and that these patients are individuals who are subjectively prone to burnout. Occiput-wall distance (OWD), which is a measure of kyphosis, has been associated with posture disorder, osteoporosis, disability and depression. Techniques such as kinesio tape, postural exercises, manual therapy, Schroth method and stretching exercises can be applied in the treatment of kyphosis. It has been explained that the application of kinesio tape in university students has positive effects in reducing the thoracic kyphosis angle and increasing postural awareness.Breathing exercises are an effective method for correcting posture and improving spinal health in individuals with increased kyphosis. Kyphosis usually results in posture disorders as a result of excessive curvature in the upper part of the spine. Breathing exercises encourage the correct use of the diaphragm in particular and help correct body posture. Deep breathing and activating the diaphragm muscles make it easier to keep the spine upright, strengthen the back muscles and make the body more stable. Today, we are encountering an increase in posture disorders more commonly every year, especially among university students with a young population. It is very important to determine the level of postural problems and pain experience that develop and are likely to progress in university students and the approaches to prevent them. When the literature is examined, there is no study showing the effects of the combined application of kinesiotape and breathing exercises to individuals with postural kyphosis. In this context, the aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the use of breathing exercises alone and the combined use of breathing exercises and kinesiotape application on pain experience, postural improvement, sleep quality, anxiety level and respiratory capacity in university students with thoracic hyperkyphosis.

Conditions

Breathing Exercise; Pranayama; Kinesio Taping; Hyperkyphosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Breathing Exercises Group

The breathing exercises applied included yogic pranayama techniques and were performed face to face one day a week and followed with an exercise diary to indicate that they continued these exercises on the remaining days of the week, for a total of 5 days a week and 4 weeks. Reminder messages for the exercises were sent through the WhatsApp group opened with all participants included in the study. In the first session, patient education was given about diaphragmatic breathing and its importance. The breathing techniques applied included Ujjai, Sukha Pranayama and Nadi Shodhana techniques.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Breathing Exercises

Intervention Type: OTHER

Ujjai: While the mouth is closed, a hissing sound is made until the space between the throat and lungs is filled with breath, and a slow and deep inhalation is made. Then, without holding the breath, a long and full exhalation is made through a partially closed glottis and a slight laryngeal muscle contraction, and the same sound is made. In each session, two sets of ujjayi technique were applied, with an inhalation:exhalation ratio of 1:2 and 10 respiratory cycles, with a 1-minute rest period between sets.

Sukha Pranayama: Applied for 5 minutes with a 5:5 inhalation:exhalation ratio of 6 breaths per minute.

Nadi Shodhana: After closing the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand, a slow and deep inhalation is performed through the left nostril. After maximum inhalation, without holding the breath, the left nostril is closed with the fourth finger of the right hand and a full exhalation is performed through the right nostril. Maintaining the closed position of the left nostr

Breathing Exercises + Kinesio Taping Group

In addition to the breathing techniques and patient education applied in the breathing exercises group; kinesiotape application for hyperkyphosis was applied by the same physiotherapist once a week for 4 weeks.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Breathing Exercises + Kinesio Taping Group

Intervention Type: OTHER

The tape was not removed for 5 days from the day of the procedure, but was removed after the 5th day, allowing the skin to rest for 2 days, and then repeated for 4 weeks with a new kinesio tape application. The tapes of those who stated that there was wear or tear on the tape were renewed within a week. After the skin was cleaned with alcohol, the kinesio tape application was applied bilaterally as an I tape with 25-50% tension on the paraspinal muscles from the 7th cervical vertebra to the 12th thoracic vertebra. The I tape was applied horizontally with 50% tension to the point where the kyphotic area was clearly observed. All strips were rubbed to increase adhesion to the skin and activate the tape.

Interventions

Breathing Exercises

Ujjai: While the mouth is closed, a hissing sound is made until the space between the throat and lungs is filled with breath, and a slow and deep inhalation is made. Then, without holding the breath, a long and full exhalation is made through a partially closed glottis and a slight laryngeal muscle contraction, and the same sound is made. In each session, two sets of ujjayi technique were applied, with an inhalation:exhalation ratio of 1:2 and 10 respiratory cycles, with a 1-minute rest period between sets.

Sukha Pranayama: Applied for 5 minutes with a 5:5 inhalation:exhalation ratio of 6 breaths per minute.

Nadi Shodhana: After closing the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand, a slow and deep inhalation is performed through the left nostril. After maximum inhalation, without holding the breath, the left nostril is closed with the fourth finger of the right hand and a full exhalation is performed through the right nostril. Maintaining the closed position of the left nostr

Intervention Type: OTHER

Breathing Exercises + Kinesio Taping Group

The tape was not removed for 5 days from the day of the procedure, but was removed after the 5th day, allowing the skin to rest for 2 days, and then repeated for 4 weeks with a new kinesio tape application. The tapes of those who stated that there was wear or tear on the tape were renewed within a week. After the skin was cleaned with alcohol, the kinesio tape application was applied bilaterally as an I tape with 25-50% tension on the paraspinal muscles from the 7th cervical vertebra to the 12th thoracic vertebra. The I tape was applied horizontally with 50% tension to the point where the kyphotic area was clearly observed. All strips were rubbed to increase adhesion to the skin and activate the tape.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• University students
• Those with hyperkyphosis
• Those who volunteer to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Respiratory diseases: Individuals diagnosed with asthma, COPD, interstitial lung diseases and other chronic respiratory diseases
• Smoking
• Surgical history
• Pharmacological treatment

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Istanbul Health and Technology University

Istanbul, Beyoğlu, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

KYPHSZ-2025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id