Effects of Kinesio Taping and Breathing Exercises in Individuals With Hyperkyphosis
Effects of Kinesio Taping and Breathing Exercises in Individuals With Hyperkyphosis
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of breathing exercises alone and in combination with kinesiotape application on pain experience, postural alignment, sleep quality, anxiety level, and respiratory capacity in university students with thoracic hyperkyphosis. A total of 30 university students aged between 19-30 with complaints of back pain and increased kyphosis were included in the study and the participants were divided into 2 groups. Breathing exercises included yogic pranayama techniques and were performed 5 days a week for 4 weeks. In the breathing exercises and kinesiotape group, in addition to the breathing exercises applied; kinesiotape application for hyperkyphosis was applied once a week for 4 weeks. Within the scope of the study, participants' posture, respiratory capacity, pain level, anxiety level and functional posture parameters were evaluated.
Today, back pain has become one of the most common health problems encountered by physiotherapists. In the emergence of back pain; structural, functional and mechanical disorders of the spine, biological factors such as obesity, psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, and social factors such as age, gender, economic status and working conditions play an important role. In addition, staying inactive for long hours, incorrect sitting positions, lifting heavy loads or repetitive incorrect movements can also cause back pain to worsen. Today's living conditions, with the decrease in physical activity and increase in stress, cause back pain to become more common. In order to prevent this situation, it is very important to do regular exercise, gain posture habits suitable for body mechanics and create ergonomic working conditions. One of the most important causes of back pain is posture disorder. Bad posture disrupts the equal distribution of compressive and tension forces that should be balanced on the body axis, causing various structural problems in the spine. As a result, nerve roots can be compressed, intervertebral foramina can narrow, and repetitive tensions can occur in the muscles, causing back pain. Bad posture, which is considered inadequate body posture, causes muscles, bones, and other structures to work excessively, paving the way for serious problems to develop in the body over time. Smartphone addiction in university students can lead to many physical ailments such as back, waist, and neck pain. It has been observed that back pain in university students is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, back pain caused by kyphosis can also affect psychological status. Schmidt stated that back pain is more severe in patients who are insecure and uncompliant, and that these patients are individuals who are subjectively prone to burnout. Occiput-wall distance (OWD), which is a measure of kyphosis, has been associated with posture disorder, osteoporosis, disability and depression. Techniques such as kinesio tape, postural exercises, manual therapy, Schroth method and stretching exercises can be applied in the treatment of kyphosis. It has been explained that the application of kinesio tape in university students has positive effects in reducing the thoracic kyphosis angle and increasing postural awareness.Breathing exercises are an effective method for correcting posture and improving spinal health in individuals with increased kyphosis. Kyphosis usually results in posture disorders as a result of excessive curvature in the upper part of the spine. Breathing exercises encourage the correct use of the diaphragm in particular and help correct body posture. Deep breathing and activating the diaphragm muscles make it easier to keep the spine upright, strengthen the back muscles and make the body more stable. Today, we are encountering an increase in posture disorders more commonly every year, especially among university students with a young population. It is very important to determine the level of postural problems and pain experience that develop and are likely to progress in university students and the approaches to prevent them. When the literature is examined, there is no study showing the effects of the combined application of kinesiotape and breathing exercises to individuals with postural kyphosis. In this context, the aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the use of breathing exercises alone and the combined use of breathing exercises and kinesiotape application on pain experience, postural improvement, sleep quality, anxiety level and respiratory capacity in university students with thoracic hyperkyphosis.
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