Safety and tolerability of Kinesio Taping in patients with arm lymphedema: medical device clinical study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability of Kinesio Taping (KT) in patients with arm lymphedema.


METHODS
Medical device clinical study in women with arm lymphedema. Kinesio Tex Gold bandage was applied by the KT technique. Assessments and interviews were carried out both at the beginning and 4 days after intervention. Skin disorders, reported tolerance and modification of limb volume and function after intervention were assessed. Changes in limb volume and functionality before and after intervention were compared by the Student's t test and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, considering significant p value <0.05.


RESULTS
Twenty-four women were studied. After intervention, no patient had cutaneous lesions, vesicle or limb hyperthermia, and 4.2% presented skin peeling and redness. Most patients reported no change in social life and that they felt safer in the daily activity and were very pleased with the treatment. The patients presented improvement of upper limb functionality after intervention (p < 0.001). No difference of limb volume was found after intervention (p = 0.639).


CONCLUSIONS
Kinesio Tex Gold bandage by the KT technique proved to be safe and tolerable in patients with lymphedema, with improved functionality and no change of the affected limb volume.
Rehabilitation Sciences Master's Program, Augusto Motta University Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. jacmestrado@gmail.com.
Jacqueline de Carvalho
Jde C
Martins
Clinical Epidemiology Program, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. saguiar@inca.gov.br.
Suzana Sales
SS
Aguiar
Physiotherapy Service, Cancer Hospital III, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. efabro@inca.gov.br.
Erica Alves Nogueira
EA
Fabro
Physiotherapy Service, Cancer Hospital III, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. rejane.costa@inca.gov.br.
Rejane Medeiros
RM
Costa
Brasilia University, Universidade de Goiás, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. tvlemos@gmail.com.
Thiago Vilela
TV
Lemos
, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. vinicius.guapyassu@hotmail.com.
Vinicius Gienbinsky Guapyassú
VG
de Sá
, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Raphael Mello
RM
de Abreu
Medicine School, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil. mauroand@uol.com.br.
Mauro Figueiredo Carvalho de
MF
Andrade
Clinical Epidemiology Program, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. lthuler@inca.gov.br.
Luiz Claudio Santos
LC
Thuler
Clinical Epidemiology Program, National Cancer Institute, Rua André Cavalcanti, 37 / 2o andar - Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231-050, Brazil. abergmann@inca.gov.br.
Anke
A
Bergmann
D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D001458:Bandages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Bandage; Breast cancer; Kinesio Taping; Lymphedema; Physiotherapy