Assessment of the effects of Kinesiotaping on musical motor performance in musicians suffering from focal hand dystonia: a pilot study

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the immediate and short-term effects of a Correction Kinesiotaping intervention on fine motor control in musicians with focal hand dystonia. Design: A single-blinded, single-arm repeated measures, pilot study. Setting: Medical outpatient clinic. Subjects: Seven musicians diagnosed with focal hand dystonia. Interventions: Musicians performed musical exercises under the following conditions: without Kinesiotape (baseline), during a Correction Kinesiotaping intervention and immediately after tape removal (block 1) and during a Sham Kinesiotaping intervention and immediately after tape removal (block 2). Blocks were randomly presented across participants. A tailored Correction Kinesiotaping intervention on affected fingers was provided based on the dystonic pattern that each patient manifested while playing. Main measures: Motor performance was video-documented and independent experts blindly assessed the general performance and fingers’ posture on visual analogue scales. Also, musicians’ self-reports of the musical abilities were evaluated. Finally, electromyographic activity and coactivation index of wrist antagonist muscles were analyzed. Results: No significant differences in effects between Correction Kinesiotaping and Sham Kinesiotaping were reported by the experts, either for general performance (P > 0.05) or for fingers’ posture (P > 0.05); any subtle benefits observed during Correction Kinesiotaping were lost after the tape was removed. Musicians estimated that Correction Kinesiotaping was ineffective in improving their musical abilities. Also, no significant changes with respect to the coactivation index (P > 0.05) were found among the conditions. Conclusion: Correction Kinesiotaping intervention may not be useful to reduce dystonic patterns, nor to improve playing ability, in musicians with focal hand dystonia.