PURPOSE: Purpose of this study is to evaluate differences in leg muscles strength and motor performance between neuromuscular taping (NT) and sham tape groups. METHOD: Relapsing-remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were recruited and randomly assigned to NT or sham tape groups. All patients underwent the treatment 5 times at 5-d intervals. They were submitted to a 6-minute walk test and isokinetic test (peak torque) at the beginning (T0), at the end (T1) and 2 months after the end of the treatment (T2). RESULTS: Forty MS patients (38F; 2M; mean age 45.5 +/- 6.5 years) were assigned to NT group (n = 20) and to sham tape group (n = 20). Delta peak torque T1 to T0 and T2 to T0 between two groups were statistically significant in quadriceps (p = 0.007; 0.000) and hamstrings (p = 0.011; 0.007). The difference between the two groups according to 6-minute walk test was not statistically significant but in NT group it was noticed an increasing trend about the distance run. CONCLUSIONS: In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, NT seemed to increase strength in leg muscles, compared to a sham device, in RR MS patients. Further studies are needed to consider this therapy as a complement to classic physical therapy.

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