Olga Velasco-Roldán1, Inmaculada Riquelme2, Alejandro Ferragut-Garcías1, Alberto Marcos Heredia-Rizo3, Cleofás Rodríguez-Blanco3, Ángel Oliva-Pascual-Vaca3. 1. Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of the Balearic Islands, The Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 2. Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Research Institute of Health Sciences (IUNICS-IdISBa), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 3. Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the best technique for applying Kinesio Taping (KT), and the theory supporting that skin convolutions may explain its efficacy has recently been challenged. OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate and short-term effectiveness of KT tightness on mechanosensitivity and spinal mobility in nonspecific low back pain (LBP), and to observe the influence of gender in the outcome measures. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: University-based clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 75 individuals with a mean age of 33 years (±7.4 years), 60% female and 40% male, with nonspecific LBP were recruited and randomly assigned to 1 of the following study groups: standard KT tension (n = 26), increased KT tension (n = 25), and no KT tension (n = 24). INTERVENTIONS: All participants received a two I-strip taping over the paravertebral muscles for 24 hours. Paper-off tension (15%-25% of the available stretch) was used in the standard KT group, which was increased to 40% in the increased KT tension group. The rest of participants received a taping procedure with no KT tension. Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately after the taping, 24 hours after the taping, and after KT removal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome included pressure pain thresholds over the erector spinae and gluteus medius muscles. The secondary outcome was lumbar mobility (assessed with a digital inclinometer, and back-saver sit-and-reach, finger-to-floor, and sit-and-reach tests). RESULTS: In the between-groups analysis of the mean score changes after baseline assessment, no significant differences were found for any of the outcome measures (P > .05) except the left back-saver sit-and-reach test (P = .03). A statistically significant interaction group × gender × time was observed only for mechanosensitivity values (P = .02 for the gluteus and P = .01 for the erector spinae). CONCLUSION:KT tightness does not seem to influence pain sensitivity and lumbar mobility in chronic LBP in either the immediate or short term. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the best technique for applying Kinesio Taping (KT), and the theory supporting that skin convolutions may explain its efficacy has recently been challenged. OBJECTIVE: To compare the immediate and short-term effectiveness of KT tightness on mechanosensitivity and spinal mobility in nonspecific low back pain (LBP), and to observe the influence of gender in the outcome measures. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: University-based clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 75 individuals with a mean age of 33 years (±7.4 years), 60% female and 40% male, with nonspecific LBP were recruited and randomly assigned to 1 of the following study groups: standard KT tension (n = 26), increased KT tension (n = 25), and no KT tension (n = 24). INTERVENTIONS: All participants received a two I-strip taping over the paravertebral muscles for 24 hours. Paper-off tension (15%-25% of the available stretch) was used in the standard KT group, which was increased to 40% in the increased KT tension group. The rest of participants received a taping procedure with no KT tension. Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately after the taping, 24 hours after the taping, and after KT removal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome included pressure pain thresholds over the erector spinae and gluteus medius muscles. The secondary outcome was lumbar mobility (assessed with a digital inclinometer, and back-saver sit-and-reach, finger-to-floor, and sit-and-reach tests). RESULTS: In the between-groups analysis of the mean score changes after baseline assessment, no significant differences were found for any of the outcome measures (P > .05) except the left back-saver sit-and-reach test (P = .03). A statistically significant interaction group × gender × time was observed only for mechanosensitivity values (P = .02 for the gluteus and P = .01 for the erector spinae). CONCLUSION:KT tightness does not seem to influence pain sensitivity and lumbar mobility in chronic LBP in either the immediate or short term. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
Authors: Robbert N van Amstel; Karl Noten; Lara N van den Boomen; Tom Brandon; Sven A F Tulner; Richard T Jaspers; Annelies L Pool-Goudzwaard Journal: Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl Date: 2021-05-11