The Additional Effect of Different Taping Applications in Patients With Lumbar Radiculopathy
Condition: Low Back Pain, Recurrent; Kinesiotape; Quality of Life; Physiotherapy
MeSH terms: Radiculopathy; Back Pain; Low Back Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Our study aims to compare the therapeutic effects of different taping materials and
      techniques on pain, functionality, and tissue temperature in patients with lumbar
      radiculopathy.
    

Detailed description: 
      Pain occurs due to the intervertebral disc; ligaments in the region; or degeneration, strain,
      and sprains in the muscles, neurogenic, inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic problems
      caused by structures in and around the spine . Low back pain is a serious health problem,
      with a lifetime prevalence of 84% . According to the American Society of Pain's clinical
      practice guidelines, low back pain is classified into three categories: nonspecific low back
      pain, radiculopathy-induced low back pain, and low back pain associated with another specific
      cause. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for the treatment of low back pain. Before
      pharmacological treatments, cognitive behavioral therapy, physiotherapy exercise programmes,
      electrical physical therapy modalities, manual therapy, and psychological therapy are
      frequently referenced treatment options. Taping is one of the conservative physical therapy
      methods that is often a preferred treatment in clinics. Rigid (athletic) taping and
      kinesiological taping are the most preferred taping techniques . Non-elastic taping material
      is used in the rigid taping application. It is used to position soft tissue and ensure that
      the tissues come together, are protected from contact, create compression, and prevent local
      swelling. Studies supporting the sensorimotor and proprioceptive sensory enhancing effects of
      rigid tape, which provides very good sensory input over the skin, are found in previous
      studies [7-9]. Unlike rigid tape, kinesio tape can be stretched up to 140% of its resting
      length due to its structure, which is the approximate stretching capacity of normal skin .

      Although there are various studies related to this topic, there is still no consensus on the
      effectiveness of taping in patients with low back pain who have disc degeneration. The reason
      for this is that some studies show the positive effect of kinesio taping on the reduction of
      low back pain, but some cannot show the effect of taping or find any changes . The healing
      mechanisms of different taping treatments have not been fully clarified. Moreover, local
      temperature, which is one of the indicators of vascularization and tissue healing, has not
      been investigated widely. Our study aims to examine the effects of different taping materials
      and techniques on pain, functionality, and local tissue temperature in patients with lumbar
      radiculopathy.
    

Intervention name(s): kinesio taping; rigid taping; placebo taping
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Kinesio tape was developed by Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. It is an elastic tape, and its adhesive face is sinusoidal wavy. This feature has been shown to increase daily living activities and functions, as it supports the tissue while also allowing movement [12]. Kinesio tape lifts the skin and subcutaneous soft tissues of the fascia, which are painful and inflamed regions upon contractions seen in the tissue after tense adhesion to the skin. Therefore, it has been reported to reduce oedema and inflammation by creating more space and providing blood and lymphatic fluid flow.; The tape material used in rigid (athletic) tape application is hard. It is used to position and unite the soft tissue, to protect the tissue from impact and to prevent local swelling.There are studies in the literature supporting the sensorimotor and proprioceptive sensation-enhancing effect of the athletic band, which provides a very good sensory input through the skin.; Placebo taping was applied to the patients in this group, using betafix, an elastic fixation band, as the material. The patient was told that taping would be applied. A straight line betafix was applied to the non-painful scapular inferior level of the spine on the right and left sides of the standing patient.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: low back pain; kinesiotape; quality of life; skin temperature; physiotherapy