title: The clinical and sonographic effects of kinesiotaping and exercise in comparison with manual therapy and exercise for patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a preliminary trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of manual therapy with exercise to kinesiotaping with exercise for patients with subacromial impingement syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized clinical before and after trial was used. Fifty-four patients diagnosed as having subacromial impingement syndrome who were referred for outpatient treatment were included. Eligible patients (between 30 and 60 years old, with unilateral shoulder pain) were randomly allocated to 2 study groups: kinesiotaping with exercise (n = 28) or manual therapy with exercise (n = 26). In addition, patients were advised to use cold packs 5 times per day to control for pain. Visual analog scale for pain, Disability of Arm and Shoulder Questionnaire for function, and diagnostic ultrasound assessment for supraspinatus tendon thickness were used as main outcome measures. Assessments were applied at the baseline and after completing 6 weeks of related interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the baseline, there was no difference between the 2 group characteristics (P > .05). There were significant differences in both groups before and after treatment in terms of pain decrease and improvement of Disability of Arm and Shoulder Questionnaire scores (P < .05). No difference was observed on ultrasound for tendon thickness after treatment in both groups (P > .05). The only difference between the groups was at night pain, resulting in favor of the kinesiotaping with exercise group (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the group of subjects studied, no differences were found between kinesiotaping with exercise and manual therapy with exercise. Both treatments may have similar results in reducing pain and disability in subacromial impingement in 6 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, School of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey. Electronic address: deryaozer2000@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Derya Ozer
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baltaci
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Radiology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Toprak
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Ozgur
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Atay
mesh_terms: D055052:Athletic Tape; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Athletic Tape; Manipulative Therapy; Subacromial Impingement Syndrome; Ultrasonography