Effect of Different Kinesiotaping Techniques on Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Background. Kinesiological taping (KinT) is proposed as one of the techniques that can alleviate back pain. However, no studies have been conducted to demonstrate the most effective kinesiology taping technique for women with chronic non-specific low back pain.

The aim. To determine the effects of star-shaped, “H-shaped”, and placebo kinesiology taping methods on non-specific chronic back pain, trunk mobility, static endurance of trunk muscles, and functional status in women with non-specific low back pain.

Methods. Fifteen women aged 18-36 years, experiencing chronic, non-specific back pain, participated in the study. Three different taping methods were chosen: H-shaped, star-shaped, and placebo taping. The lower back of each subject was taped using all three kinesiology taping (KinT) techniques with a one-week break between different taping cycles. Subjects' back pain, torso mobility, back muscle static endurance, and functional status were assessed using the Roland-Morris questionnaire.

Results. Participants’ baseline assessments did not differ before applying different KinT techniques. Back pain intensity significantly reduced (p<0.05), and mobility and endurance of back extensor muscles increased (p<0.05) with star and H-shaped kinesio tape, but the effect of the techniques at 24 hours did not differ from each other after tape removal. Although there was no difference between taping methods after 24 hours, H-shaped taping had a greater effect than Z-shaped taping on mobility after 48 hours of taping (p<0.05). Meanwhile, functional disability decreased with all three taping methods (p<0.05) but did not differ between different taping methods.

Conclusions. Star- and H-shaped KinT techniques had short-term significant positive effects on chronic non-specific back pain, lumbar mobility, static endurance of the trunk muscles, and functional status of subjects. Placebo (sham) KinT technique only reduced subjectively-assessed functional disability.

Keywords: women, back pain, kinesiotaping, function.