Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive accumulation of physical and mental symptoms (Frohman et al., 2006). MS is characterized by clinical symptoms resulting from lesions in the brain, spinal cord, or optic nerves that can result in the deterioration of motor functions (Abdel-Aziz et al., 2015; Cameron and Nilsagard, 2018; Frohman et al., 2006; Yoosefinejad et al., 2017). Many MS patients fall frequently, with falls often occurring soon after disease onset and increasing in frequency over time. Falls in MS are associated with impaired balance, diminished trunk control, and decreased walking ability, all of which are consequences of disease progression (Cameron and Lord, 2010; Cameron and Nilsagard, 2018).

Throughout the course of the disease, MS causes motor functions to progressively deteriorate. As a result of the biomechanical design in the healthy human organism, trunk stability is the basis for balance function and coordinated limb movements. Moreover, walking is only possible when trunk control is stable (Suri et al., 2009). Accordingly, core stabilization-based trainings have begun to be included in physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs for pwMS and other neurological populations (Arntzen et al., 2020; Molhemi et al., 2021; Normann et al., 2016). Normann et al. (2016) reported that core stability and balance training were effective on balance, gait and trunk control in pwMS. Arntzen et al. (2020) showed that comprehensive core stability and balance training improves gait in pwMS. In rehabilitation programs, alternative treatment approaches such as kinesio taping (KT), which are also used in the treatment of various musculoskeletal and neuromuscular deficits, are applied as well as exercise approaches based on trunk control (Cho et al., 2020; Lee et al., 2016). In studies where KT was applied to the trunk muscles, it was reported that muscle strength and endurance improved after the application (Buke and Unver, 2020; Celenay et al., 2019). In addition, the effectiveness of KT in various neurological diseases has been investigated and positive therapeutic outcomes have been reported in pwMS (Cortesi et al., 2011; Costantino et al., 2016). However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study in the literature which has investigated the effects of KT applied to the trunk muscles in pwMS.

When the effects of core stabilization-based training and KT application are considered, the combined practice of these therapeutic approaches may be more effective on symptoms in pwMS. According to current literature (6–15), the effects of KT combined with core stabilization-based exercises in pwMS have not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of KT combined with core stabilization-based balance training on balance, trunk control, fear of falling and walking capacity in pwMS compared to the sole application of core stabilization-based balance training.