Use of athletic tape in the speech-language-hearing treatment of post-stroke facial paralysis in the acute phase.

No group received tape on its own, so the tape cannot be separated from the exercises, and the authors say a placebo effect cannot be ruled out. The clinician who took every measurement knew which group each patient was in, and she was also the one who applied the tape. Only one of the four facial measurements differed between groups; the other three did not. 32 of the 120 patients who consented were dropped before analysis because they were discharged early or got worse, so the results describe only those well enough to finish a 15-day admission. The study ran in one hospital stroke unit and measured outcomes only during the hospital stay, so nothing is reported about whether any gain lasted.

The authors declare no financial support and nothing to disclose. No funder is named.

Do not read this as proof that the tape works. Only one of the four facial measurements separated the groups, the clinician taking that measurement knew who had tape, and the group given no therapy at all also improved, so part of every group's gain was recovery that happens on its own in the weeks after a stroke.