Postural Taping for Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures (PosTape)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of postural taping on pain and function following osteoporotic vertebral fractures – a pilot study
IRAS ID
137554
Contact name
Shea T Palmer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust
Research summary
Osteoporosis weakens bones and is common in older people. With osteoporosis, fractures of the vertebrae (the bones of the spine) can happen following minor things like bending, sneezing or stumbling. More than 20% of people over 50 have evidence of damage to vertebrae. As vertebrae are damaged, people become more stooped over, producing more strain on the spine, causing more pain and increasing the risk of further fractures. Corrective taping may help people to stay more upright, reduce pain and help with day to day things. However physiotherapists usually need to apply tape regularly and therefore it is not really a long-term solution. A new taping device can be applied by people themselves (or with minimal help) at home. It is important to know if it can improve pain and function after vertebral fracture.\n\nWe want to ask 20 patients to help us. 10 will be randomly chosen to use the taping device at home for 4 weeks and the others will continue with usual care. All patients will complete short questionnaires about pain, function and quality of life. They will also attend a special room which measures how well people move. Reflective markers are placed on different points on the spine, hips and legs. Special cameras can see these and build a computer image of how people move. People will stand, sit, walk, go up and down 3 steps, and stand up from sitting, both with and without the taping device. We will repeat all of the measurements 4 weeks later.\n\nThe information will tell us if the taping device might be useful in improving pain, what people are able to do, and the way that they move. This information will be used to decide whether or not it is worth doing a much larger study in the future.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/WM/0357
Date of REC Opinion
20 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion