The Additional Effect of Different Taping Applications in Patients With Lumbar Radiculopathy

Ankara Yildirim Beyazıt University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Quality of Life; Physiotherapy; Kinesiotape; Low Back Pain, Recurrent

Treatments: Other: kinesio taping; Other: placebo taping; Other: rigid taping

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04943640

KA18/340

Details and patient eligibility

About

Our study aims to compare the therapeutic effects of different taping materials and techniques on pain, functionality, and tissue temperature in patients with lumbar radiculopathy.

Full description

Pain occurs due to the intervertebral disc; ligaments in the region; or degeneration, strain, and sprains in the muscles, neurogenic, inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic problems caused by structures in and around the spine . Low back pain is a serious health problem, with a lifetime prevalence of 84% . According to the American Society of Pain's clinical practice guidelines, low back pain is classified into three categories: nonspecific low back pain, radiculopathy-induced low back pain, and low back pain associated with another specific cause. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for the treatment of low back pain. Before pharmacological treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, physiotherapy exercise programmes, electrical physical therapy modalities, manual therapy, and psychological therapy are frequently referenced treatment options. Taping is one of the conservative physical therapy methods that is often a preferred treatment in clinics. Rigid (athletic) taping and kinesiological taping are the most preferred taping techniques . Non-elastic taping material is used in the rigid taping application. It is used to position soft tissue and ensure that the tissues come together, are protected from contact, create compression, and prevent local swelling. Studies supporting the sensorimotor and proprioceptive sensory enhancing effects of rigid tape, which provides very good sensory input over the skin, are found in previous studies [7-9]. Unlike rigid tape, kinesio tape can be stretched up to 140% of its resting length due to its structure, which is the approximate stretching capacity of normal skin .

Although there are various studies related to this topic, there is still no consensus on the effectiveness of taping in patients with low back pain who have disc degeneration. The reason for this is that some studies show the positive effect of kinesio taping on the reduction of low back pain, but some cannot show the effect of taping or find any changes . The healing mechanisms of different taping treatments have not been fully clarified. Moreover, local temperature, which is one of the indicators of vascularization and tissue healing, has not been investigated widely. Our study aims to examine the effects of different taping materials and techniques on pain, functionality, and local tissue temperature in patients with lumbar radiculopathy.

Enrollment: 51 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The criterion for inclusion in the study for volunteers was low back pain due to lumbar radiculopathy.

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion criteria were skin disease, central nervous system damage, tumour in the spine, surgical operation of the spine, pregnancy, and rheumatic disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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51 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

kinesio taping

Experimental group

Description:

The patient was advised to clean the skin with alcohol and shave the hairy areas. The standing patient was asked to take off high heels if he/she was wearing them. The paravertebral technique was used with 5 cm x 5 m kinesio tape material. While the patient was standing in an upright position, two longitudinal pieces were cut by taking the tape and slightly rolling its corners. The patient was asked to lean forward. The lower end of the tape was attached 7 cm below the sacroiliac joint at the level of the paravertebral muscles and the patient was bent forward. The patient was asked to do a slight rotation to the left, and while in this position, the tape was attached to T11-T12 without stretching at all. Kinesio tape was attached to the opposite side of the vertebrae with the same procedure.

Treatment:

Other: kinesio taping

rigid taping

Experimental group

Description:

The patient was asked to lean forward, and 5 cm x 5 m rigid tape material was used in the right paravertebral region. When bonding the tape, first, the lower end of the tape was attached 7 cm below the sacroiliac joint at the level of the paravertebral muscles and the patient was bent forward. Then, the patient was asked to do a slight rotation to the left, and while in this position, the hypoallergenic tape (beta fix) was applied with no tension \[23\]. Then, rigid tape was applied upward onto the paravertebral muscles. The left paravertebral region was taped with the same procedure as the right paravertebral region .

Treatment:

Other: rigid taping

placebo taping groups

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Placebo taping was applied to patients in this group using betafix, an elastic stabilization tape, as material. A straight line of betafix was applied to the non-painful scapular inferior alignment of the spine, right and left, while the patient was standing upright. Treatment with taping was administered to all groups every 2 days by the same physiotherapist .

Treatment:

Other: placebo taping