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

Purpose: Intensive training regimes can lead musicians to the manifestation of focal dystonia, a highly disabling movement disorder that often terminates their careers. In most cases, musician’s dystonia, only appears focally in the context of instrument playing as a painless muscular incoordination of refined movements. To date, this condition is not easily treated and the most effective therapies often fail to restore fine motor control in musicians. Given the limitations of the available treatment methods, alternative strategies are continuously explored. This pilot study explores the immediate and short-term effects of a Correction Kinesiotaping intervention (CKT) on fine motor control in musicians with focal hand dystonia (FHD). Kinesiotaping (KT) is a kinesthetic method, consisting of a tape having elastic properties and stretching capabilities, that recently has emerged in clinical practice as an interesting tool for managing neurological disorders. Methods: Seven male musicians with FHD performed musical exercises under the following conditions: without KT (baseline); during a CKT intervention and immediately after tape removal (block 1); during a Sham KT (SKT) intervention and immediately after tape removal (block 2). Blocks were randomly presented across participants. A tailored CKT intervention on affected fingers was provided based on the dystonic pattern that each patient manifested while playing. Motor performance was video-documented and four independent experts assessed blindly the general performance and fingers' posture on visual analogue scales. Also, musicians’ self-reports of the musical abilities were evaluated. Finally, electromyographic activity and co-activation index of wrist antagonist muscles were analyzed. Results: No significant differences of effects between CKT and SKT were reported by the experts, either for general performance or for fingers' posture; any subtle benefits observed during CKT were lost after the tape was removed. Musicians estimated that CKT was ineffective in improving their musical abilities. Also, no significant changes with respect to the co-activation index were found among the conditions. Conclusions: CKT may not be useful to reduce dystonic patterns, nor to improve playing ability, in musicians with FHD.