Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Kinesio Taping Tightness in Mechanical Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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.