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 The tape, which often goes by the name Kinesio, can sometimes be
seen on the skin of high-profile athletes, and is purported to
reduce pain and promote healing by improving circulation to the
tissues underneath, write the researchers in the British Journal of
Sports Medicine.
After reviewing published studies, the researchers found the tape
may help in the reduction of pain, at least in the short term,
compared to sham therapy or when it’s used in addition to standard
treatment, wrote Edwin Choon Wyn Lim, the study’s co-author, in an
email to Reuters Health.
“But there is insufficient evidence to suggest that Kinesio taping
is better at reducing pain when compared to other treatment
approaches,” said Lim, a physiotherapist at Singapore General
Hospital.
The authors combined the data from 17 previous clinical trials that
examined the use of Kinesio tape for chronic pain lasting more than
four weeks. The analysis included 416 patients who received the tape
treatments and 406 patients who did not.
The study team found that using the tape improved pain relief,
compared to no taping, sham taping and other minimal care
techniques. There was no improvement in disability, however.
Additionally, the researchers found that taping did not reduce pain
or disability, compared to any standard treatments, such as physical
therapy and exercise.
The researchers caution that there are limitations to their study,
such as the use of different taping techniques and the number of
treatments.
The review also couldn’t determine whether certain conditions
respond better to the tape than others. For example, Lim said it
could be that taping may work better for pain conditions with
swelling.
Lim added that anyone with musculoskeletal injuries should seek
medical attention first, “then, if taping is indicated, always
insist on a certified taping practitioner to do the job.”
More research is needed to clarify the mechanism behind any possible
effect, he said.
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"The authors had the intention to show the real results and
conclusions discussing it, and show that there are some effects in
some trials in pain, small but they are there," said Thiago Vilela
Lemos, a physical therapist at the State University of Goias in
Brazil.
Future researchers should consider that the tape is usually used
with another therapy, Lemos wrote in an email to Reuters Health. He
was not involved with the new study.
Kenzo Kase, who developed the Kinesio Taping Method in the 1970s,
told Reuters Health in an email that the tape works by producing a
negative pressure on the skin’s surface, creating space for blood
and lymphatic flow.
“It is useful for addressing swelling and bruising in the early
stages of recovery from injury or surgery, and for stability and
muscle support during rehabilitation and to increase the speed of
recovery,” said Kase, who is a chiropractor from Japan. He was not
involved in the study.
Kase said the tape can be used alone but sometimes it is appropriate
to use it with other therapies.
SOURCE: http://bmj.co/1uYQhwV
Br J Sports Med 2015.
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