Kinesiology Taping in oral breather treatment- Pilot study (Oral application)

Anna Capovilla SLP – Studio VOcaleConsonantE – Milan (Italy) vocaleconsonante@gmail.com

This is a small-scale experiment about

Kinesiology taping in oral breather treatment.

OBJECTIVE

PRE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the POST

short-term clinical efficacy of K-Active Taping

method (oral application-I° part and

nasal application-II° part)

as a complementary tool in oral breather

Therapy, to prevent further impairment.

RESULTS Comparing pre-treatment and post-treatment values, significant improvement were found in breathing. Of course oral application is not sufficient to

restore nasal breathing. However we perceived more suitable day and night lip closure, peri-oral coordination and increased nasal flow. This means

better quality of patients’ life.

METHOD - Two studies were conducted. One to stimulate lip

muscle tone and closure (oral application) and the other one to

rehabilitate nasal flow (nasal application).

We have decided to experiment these two approaches in separate

studies (oral application and nasal application).

For the first study we recruited a group of 6 mouth breathers

subjects (4 children and 2 adults) and treated them with

kinesiology tape - in accordance with K-Active® Taping method -

applied in oral region for 30 days. In both case (lip and nose

taping) KT was applied every day, before going to bed. Each

patient (or their parents) was trained to manage the application of

KT at home in complete autonomy.

A father is practicing

Oral Tape Application.

Each subject was evaluated at the beginning by a ENT and by a

speech and language therapist before and after the treatment (15

and 30 days).

The assessment, for oral application, consisted in lip strength

measurement and VAS (before and after treatment period).

To improve lip closure we selected to Tape the orbiculary oris,

the major muscle responsible for lip closure. We use a 5cm. “I”

strips. To simplify the use of KT at home, a new kind of application

has been studied using Ligament Technique. No preposition is

needed.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that K-Active Taping Method, in addition to breathing rehabilitation therapy,

is useful to obtain faster improvement in nasal breathing, to reduce pressure, due to breathing

therapy exercises, on adults and to obtain good result, without too much work, in children.

We think that the approach of oral breather should be a multidisciplinary one and that the treatment

goal could be easily reached with this aid.

We don’t have enough data and the use of Kinesio Taping to improve lip closure, needs to be further

explored. We are now working on an integrated approach and preparing a new procedure.

BACKGROUND

MOUTH BREATHING is a serious problem in children and adults. It

is connected with modified facial/cranial morphology development,

postural problems, tongue thrusting, swallowing disorders, speech

alterations, difficulty of concentration, restless sleep and OSA. It

may result from upper airway obstruction, and/or from bad oral

habit.

As oral breather therapy needs a good cooperation of the patient

(breathing exercises, lip exercises..) Kinesiology Taping is seen as

a complementary therapeutic method to save time and reduce

personal involvement. With this kind of approach, it is possible to

treat toddlers, children (not always so cooperative), and adults

(also so busy not to have time to practice at home) in order to

stimulate nasal breathing as soon as possible.

KINESIOLOGY TAPING

Kinesiology Tape is a water-repellent elastic and adhesive Tape

made of cotton which is activated by friction after the application. It

was developed in 1980s by a Japanese company in cooperation

with a chiropractor. The intention was to support body’s own healin

processes

This method assist in restoring proper

muscle function, helps lynphatic drainage

and fascial correction. It is used in

conjunction with traditional Rehabilitation

Methods.

Kinesio Tape has to be applied by properly trained and cerified

professionals, as there are different methods of applications that

has to be choosen in accordance with different needs.

This tecnique is well known in sport medicine and phical therapy,

but it is quite recent the use of Tape in facial region.

AGE: GUDIN TEST DYNAMOMETER

PRE POST PRE POST

P.G 9 no - no

S.J. 10 no - yes

B.N. 12 no - no

S.P. 14 no - yes

G.L. 20 no - yes

F.N. 17 no - yes

0

5

10

P.G. B.N. F.N. N.G. G.L. S.J.S.P.

SCALA VAS pre

SCALA VAS post