Effect of kinesio taping on standing balance in subjects with multiple sclerosis.

About 2,5 million people suffer from multiple sclerosis. Lithuania belongs to a zone of high rate of people suffering from this desease (Klizaitienė, 2008). On of the main symptoms, appearing in the early stage of this desease is imbalance (Prosperini et al., 2010; Cameron et al., 2008; Martin & Phillips, 2006). Relevance of the topic: Kinesio Tape is a cheap, available and non-invasive means which can improve static balance, quality of life and reduce coincidental risk of falls for those who have multiple sclerosis. Hypothesis: Kinesio Tape sticked to gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle can improve the postural stability of those who have multiple sclerosis. The aim of the research: To establish the effect of the Kinesio Tape of those who suffer fro multiple sclerosis and to estimate the postural stability. The task of the research: 1. Estimate the posture while standing with tight legs with open and closed eyes with Kinesio Tape and with Kinesio Tape, sticked on the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle with the help of functional correctional technique. 2. Estimate the posture while standing with tight legs with open and closed eyes with Kinesio Tape and with Kinesio Tape, sticked on the quadriceps muscle with the placebo technique. 3. Estimate the efficiency of Kinesio Tape on postural stability of those who were in the research. Methods of the research: The research was performed on 19th and 20th of January in 2012 in rehabilitation hospital Palanga. There were 16 patients with multiple sclerosis. The patients were randomized into two groups, 8 people in each group. To investigate postural stability, Zebris WinFDM-T version 2x1 platform was used. The first group had Kinesio Tape sticked with the help of functional correctional Kinesio Tape technique on the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle. The second group had Kinesio Tape sticked on the quadriceps muscle with the placebo technique. The research consisted of two parts: 1. The patients stood their eyes open and closed with tight legs for 60 s., without Kinesio Tape. 2. The patients stood their eyes open and closed with tight legs for 60 s., 1 hour after they had been sticked with Kinesio Tape. Coclusions: 1. Kinesio Tape, which was sticked on gastocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle with functional correctional technique, significantly improved the patients postural stability (p<0,05). 2. Kinesio Tape, which was sticked on quadriceps muscle, with placebo technique, didn’t have any impact on the patients. 3. Kinesio Tape, which was sticked on gastocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle with functional correctional technique, is much more efficient than placebo (p