title: Kinesio taping compared to physical therapy modalities for the treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the efficacy of kinesio tape and physical therapy modalities in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. Patients (n = 55) were treated with kinesio tape (n = 30) three times by intervals of 3 days or a daily program of local modalities (n = 25) for 2 weeks. Response to treatment was evaluated with the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale. Patients were questioned for the night pain, daily pain, and pain with motion. Outcome measures except for the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale were assessed at baseline, first, and second weeks of the treatment. Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale was evaluated only before and after the treatment. Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale and visual analog scale scores decreased significantly in both treatment groups as compared with the baseline levels. The rest, night, and movement median pain scores of the kinesio taping (20, 40, and 50, respectively) group were statistically significantly lower (p values were 0.001, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively) at the first week examination as compared with the physical therapy group (50, 70, and 70, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the same parameters between two groups at the second week (0.109, 0.07, and 0.218 for rest, night, and movement median pain scores, respectively). Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale scores of the kinesio taping group were significantly lower at the second week as compared with the physical therapy group. No side effects were observed. Kinesio tape has been found to be more effective than the local modalities at the first week and was similarly effective at the second week of the treatment. Kinesio taping may be an alternative treatment option in the treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome especially when an immediate effect is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bursa Military Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zinnuroglu
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tugcu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055052:Athletic Tape; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome