RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Kinesio taping in musculoskeletal pain and disability that lasts for more than 4 weeks: is it time to peel off the tape and throw it out with the sweat? A systematic review with meta-analysis focused on pain and also methods of tape application
JF British Journal of Sports Medicine
JO Br J Sports Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
SP 1558
OP 1566
DO 10.1136/bjsports-2014-094151
VO 49
IS 24
A1 Edwin Choon Wyn Lim
A1 Mathew Guo Xiang Tay
YR 2015
UL http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/49/24/1558.abstract
AB Introduction In recent years, Kinesio tape has been used to support injured muscle and joints, and relieve pain. We compared the pain and disability in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain who were treated with Kinesio taping with those using minimal or other treatment approaches.Methods Searches of eight major electronic databases were conducted. Data for pain and disability scores were extracted. Meta-analyses (wherever possible) with either a fixed or random effect(s) model, standardised mean differences (SMDs) and tests of heterogeneity were performed.Results Seventeen clinical-controlled trials were identified and included in the meta-analyses. When compared to minimal intervention, Kinesio taping provided superior pain relief (pooled SMD=−0.36, 95% CI −0.64 to −0.09, p=0.009) but the pooled disability scores were not significantly different (pooled SMD=−0.41, 95% CI −0.83 to 0.01, p=0.05). No significant differences were found when comparing Kinesio taping to other treatment approaches for pain (pooled SMD=−0.44, 95% CI −1.69 to 0.82, p=0.49) and disability (pooled SMD=0.08, 95% CI −0.27 to 0.43, p=0.65).Discussion Kinesio taping is superior to minimal intervention for pain relief. Existing evidence does not establish the superiority of Kinesio taping to other treatment approaches to reduce pain and disability for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain.