Year: 2025 | Month: October-December | Volume: 10 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 126-137
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/gijhsr.20250415
Efficacy of Kinesiotaping on Handgrip Strength in Nurses of Age Group 18 To 40 Years: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Dr. Hemangi Chaudhari1, Dr. Riya Agrawal2
1Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Dr. Ulhas Patil College of Physiotherapy, Jalgoan,
2Assistant Professor, Dr. Ulhas Patil College of Physiotherapy, Jalgoan
Corresponding Author: Dr. Hemangi Chaudhari
ABSTRACT
Background: Kinesiotaping has increasingly become a common therapeutic tool in modern rehabilitation practice. Over the years, clinicians and therapists have relied on it for its potential to support muscles, enhance movement, and improve functional capacity. Research has indicated that when this taping method is applied correctly and with an appropriate level of tension, it may help boost muscular force and overall performance. Building on this understanding, the present study aimed to explore how applying Kinesiotape with 35% mechanical tension influences grip strength among nurses—both immediately after application and over a sustained period.
Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess and compare the acute effects of Kinesiotaping on handgrip strength in nurses aged 18 to 40 years. A handheld dynamometer was used to measure variations in grip strength, allowing for accurate and reliable comparisons across time points and between groups.
Methodology: A total of 38 nurses, aged between 18 and 40 years, volunteered to participate in this research. They were randomly assigned into two groups.
Intervention Group: Received Kinesiotape applied with 35% mechanical tension.
Control Group: Received the same taping pattern but with no tension applied.
Grip strength was assessed using a properly calibrated hand-held dynamometer. Measurements were taken at several important intervals:
1. Baseline—before the tape was applied
2. 30 minutes after application
3. 24 hours post-application
4. 48 hours post-application
The tape was kept intact for the full 48-hour duration to examine both short-term and extended effects.
Results: The statistical evaluation indicated that neither group showed significant improvements in grip strength when their own pre- and post-application readings were compared. However, when the groups were compared against each other, a meaningful difference emerged. After 48 hours, participants who received Kinesiotaping with 35% tension demonstrated significantly better grip strength than those in the no-tension control group, with results reaching statistical significance (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the study concludes that applying Kinesiotape with 35% mechanical tension can lead to short-term enhancements in handgrip strength among nurses. While the improvements may not be dramatic within each group individually, the tension-based taping clearly outperformed the no-tension method during extended comparison. These findings reinforce the idea that properly tensioned Kinesiotaping can serve as a beneficial, temporary strategy for increasing muscle strength in clinical or occupational settings.
Keywords: kinesiotaping, grip strength, handheld dynamometer