Systematic review of randomized trials on the effect of taping in spinal pain and disability

Background and Objectives Taping is a widely employed therapeutic tool for the treatment of several musculoskeletal disorders, nevertheless its effectiveness is still uncertain. This study aims to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the effects of taping on low back and neck pain and disability and summarize current knowledge. Materials and Methods We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, and SPORTDiscusTM databases. All published RCTs without any publication time or language restriction were considered. Study subjects had to be symptomatic adults with a diagnosis of spinal pain, myofascial pain syndrome or whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Two reviewers independently selected the studies, extracted the results and conducted the assessment of quality and clinical relevance. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by the PEDro scale. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for each measurement scale and for each outcome was identified by referencing the literature. Results Six studies met inclusion criteria: three on low back pain and three on neck pain. The quality of these studies, assessed with the PEDro score, was generally high, especially for LBP studies. Concerning low back pain, taping proved to have significant effect on pain and disability in immediate post-treatment. At 1 month follow-up, the significant effect on pain was confirmed, whereas the effect on disability became rather small and not significant. As regard to neck pain, taping appeared as effective only on pain in people with WAD and with specific neck pain related to cervical disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, or cervical radiculopathy. Discussion Taping might improve lumbar pain and disability short-time after application. Concerning neck pain, the little amount of the studies, the heterogeneity of the samples and the different results do not allow us to draw any conclusion. Conclusions Taping can be significantly effective on pain and disability in common LBP, WAD and specific NP at short-term after treatment and it may be a viable option, especially when a immediate effect is needed. There is insufficient evidence to suggest its use for a prolonged effect on time. References 1. Castro-Sánchez AM, Lara-Palomo IC, Matarán-Peñarrocha GA, Fernández-Sánchez M, Sánchez-Labraca N, Arroyo-Morales M. Kinesio Taping reduces disability and pain slightly in chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomised trial. J Physiother. 2012;58(2):89-95. Erratum in: J Physiother.2012;58(3):143. 2. Chen SM, Alexander R, Lo SK, Cook J. Effects of Functional Fascial Taping on pain and function in patients with non-specific low back pain: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012 Oct;26(10):924-33. 3. Gonzalez-Iglesias J, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Cleland JA, et al. Short-term effects of cervical kinesio taping on pain and cervical range of motion in patients with acute whiplash injury: a randomized clinical trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2009; 39: 515–521. 4. Kavlak B, Bakar Y, Sarı Z, Investigation of the Efficacy of Different Physiotherapy Methods for Neck Pain Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain, Vol. 20(4), 2012 5. Paoloni M, Bernetti A, Fratocchi G, Mangone M, Parrinello L, Del Pilar Cooper M, Sesto L, Di Sante L, Santilli V. Kinesio Taping applied to lumbar muscles influences clinical and electromyographic characteristics in chronic low back pain patients. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2011 Jun;47(2):237-44. Epub 2011 Mar 24.