Effect of Kinesio Taping Applied to the Suprahyoid Muscles on Swallowing Safety in Patients With Post-Stroke Dysphagia

Dysphagia is defined as a disorder that occurs during the process of food transfer, beginning with oral intake and continuing until it reaches the stomach. The incidence of post-stroke dysphagia has been reported to range between 42% and 75%. Dysphagia can lead to aspiration pneumonia due to food entering the lungs, as well as malnutrition, dehydration, and even death. In patients with inadequate swallowing safety and efficiency, compensatory maneuvers such as chin tuck, head flexion, supraglottic swallowing, and the Mendelsohn maneuver are commonly used. These maneuvers aim to maintain oral intake by narrowing the laryngeal vestibule or increasing hyolaryngeal elevation. They are evaluated during videofluoroscopic swallowing studies and recommended to patients if they are found to prevent aspiration or penetration. Kinesio taping (KT) has been reported to stimulate cutaneous receptors, increase sensory input, and facilitate neural reflexes, thereby promoting the activation of a greater number of motor units during maximal muscle contraction. In recent years, it has also begun to be used in the field of dysphagia rehabilitation. Studies conducted in stroke patients have shown that KT applied to the infrahyoid muscles provides resistance to the suprahyoid muscles and enhances their strength. A kinematic analysis study in stroke patients reported that KT applied to include the suprahyoid muscles increased vertical hyoid movement, although it did not result in a significant improvement in swallowing safety. The study, however, did not specify the detailed taping method used. Since the suprahyoid muscles are primarily responsible for hyolaryngeal elevation, KT focusing on this region has the potential to serve as a compensatory maneuver in dysphagia management.