The use of Kinesio taping for managing elbow pain

• Register: ISRCTN
• Last refreshed on: 27 March 2023
• Main ID: ISRCTN13618356
• Date of registration: 14/02/2017
• Prospective Registration: No
• Primary sponsor: Wan Fang Medical Center
• Public title: The use of Kinesio taping for managing elbow pain
• Scientific title: The effectiveness of Kinesio taping on pain reduction in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis: A randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study
• Date of first enrolment: 16/04/2016
• Target sample size: 20
• Recruitment status: Completed
• URL: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13618356
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Double-blind randomized cross-over trial (Treatment)
• Phase: Not Applicable

Countries of recruitment

Taiwan

Contacts

• Name: Yen-Nung Lin

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:
1. Diagnosed with chronic lateral epicondylitis
2. Visiting the rehabilitation outpatient department of Wan-Fang Hospital
3. Aged 20 to 80 years

Exclusion criteria:
1. Experience with KT treatment previously
2. Received a steroid injection for lateral epicondylitis within the past 3 months
3. Suspected of having elbow arthritis
4. Wounds where the tape is to be applied


Age minimum:
Age maximum:
Gender: Both

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
Injury, Occupational Diseases, Poisoning
Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)

Intervention(s)

Participants are randomised to receive two taping sessions in a random order by a coin toss. There is a three day wash-out period between the two sessions.

Session 1: Participants receive 15 minutes of Kinesio Taping (KT) using two strips of Kinesio Tex Tape. The main strip is applied along the extensor muscles with the second strip vertical to the first one on the proximal forearm while the elbow is extended and the wrist ulnar is deviated and flexed. The tape is then cut into an Y-shape and the tape head is applied (anchor) at the wrist, stretched slightly with 20% of available tension to the tails, laying down the tape ends with no tension, and applying pressure to the tape surface to initiate adhesion. The anchor of the second strip is applied with no tension below the area of adhesion, at 40% tension to each tail, laid down the ends with no tension, and with pressure applied to the tape surface to initiate adhesion.

Session 2: Participants receive 15 minutes of Sham Taping (ST) using Elastic Adhesive Tape (3M™). The procedure is similar to the KT procedure, except that the wrist is placed in a neutral rather than a flexed position when applying the tape with no tension created.

In each session, before and after the 15 minutes of tapi9ng, participants are asked to rate their pain levels using a range of questionnaires.

Primary Outcome(s)

Pain on resisted wrist extension is measured using a numerical rating scale (NRS) before and after 15 minutes of taping in each session.

Secondary Outcome(s)

1. Pain at rest is measured using a numerical rating scale (NRS) before and after 15 minutes of taping in each session
2. Pain-free grip strength is measured using a dynamometer (JAMAR Plus, Patterson Medical, Canada) before and after 15 minutes of taping in each session
3. Pain threshold is measured by applying the 1-cm2 rubber probe tip of a digital algometer (Force Ten FDX Force Gage, Wagner Instruments, USA) to the most palpably tender site over the lateral epicondyle before and after 15 minutes of taping in each session

Secondary ID(s)

201505008

Source(s) of Monetary Support

Wan Fang Medical Center

Ethics review

Status:
Approval date:
Contact:

The Institutional Review Board of Taipei Medical University, 16/04/2016

Results

• Results available: Yes
• Date Completed: 17/03/2017