Background: Kinesio tape (KT) is still a matter of debate and the results of studies that evaluated its effects on muscle strength in athletes are still contradictory and inconclusive.
Objectives: To analyze randomized clinical trials (RCT) to compare the effects of KT on muscle strength with the control/placebo group among athletes with and without musculoskeletal injury.
Method: The search involved the databases: PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, PEDro, The Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Embase, without filter and included RCTs evaluating the effects of KT on muscle strength in athletes with or without musculoskeletal injury, comparing it to a control/placebo intervention. The following were excluded: studies with duplicate information; who used instruments for indirect assessment of muscle strength; involving a different population of athletes. Meta-analysis calculations were performed using post-intervention muscle strength data in the Review Manager (RevMan) program.
Results: 10 articles were eligible, among which 5 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In the primary analysis, no relevant clinical effect was found (immediate post-intervention <24h: Z = 1.97 CI95% = 0.35[0.00-0.70]; p = 0.05 I2 = 0% and late post-intervention ≥24h: Z = 1.47 CI95% = 0.59[-0.20-1.38]; p = 0.14 I2 = 69%) when comparing the KT group with the control/placebo groups for muscle strength of lower limbs in participants with and without musculoskeletal injury and in the subgroup analysis (including only individuals without injury), there was also no clinical effect (Z = 1.50, 95%CI = 0.31[-0.10-0.71] p = 0.13, I2 = 0%) of KT for muscle strength.
Conclusions: KT does not contribute to muscle strength gain in athletes with and without musculoskeletal injuries.
Prospero: CRD42020139822. (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=139822) (29 July 2020).
Keywords: Athletes; Meta-analysis; Muscle strength; Peak torque.
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