title: Effects of Functional Fascial Taping on pain and function in patients with non-specific low back pain: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the short-term and medium-term effect of Functional Fascial Taping to placebo taping on pain and function in people with non-specific low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot randomized controlled trial with a 2-week intervention, and 2-, 6- and 12-week follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals with non-specific low back pain recruited from local communities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three participants with non-specific low back pain for more than 6 weeks were randomized into either Functional Fascial Taping group (n = 21) or placebo group (n = 22).
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention group was treated with Functional Fascial Taping while the control group was treated with placebo taping. Both groups received four treatments over 2 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Worst and average pain and function were assessed at baseline, after the 2-week intervention, and at 6 and 12 weeks follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Functional Fascial Taping group demonstrated significantly greater reduction in worst pain compared to placebo group after the 2-week intervention (P = 0.02, effect size = 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.11-1.34). A higher proportion of participants in Functional Fascial Taping group attained the minimal clinically important difference in worst pain (P = 0.007) and function (P = 0.007) than those in placebo group after the 2-week intervention. There were no significant differences in either group's disability rating or clinically important difference in average pain at any time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional Fascial Taping reduced worst pain in patients with non-acute non-specific low back pain during the treatment phase. No medium-term differences in pain or function were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Sing Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055052:Athletic Tape; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome