Clinical trial NCT06757062: Efficacy of Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel-Like Symptoms and Performance in Esports Gamers
Official title: Less Pain, More Game: Efficacy of Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel-Like Symptoms and Performance in Esports Gamers
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Keywords: Esports
Gamers
Carapl Tunnel Syndrome
Performance
First Person Shooter
Red
Color Theory
Kinesio Tape
Kinesiology Tape
Dorsal Application
Lead sponsor: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-01-03
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Intervention model description: Participation in this study requires 2 visits to the UNLV Shadow Lane Campus OT Skills Lab located at 1125 Shadow Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Visits will require no more than 60 minutes of the participant's time and involve kinesiology tape applications, quick performance measures, and questionnaires.

This study follows a randomized controlled crossover design with 2 study arms: red KT and skin tone KT. Each intervention will be applied once and separated by a washout period which will be at least 1 week.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either group X or group Y, indicating their sequence of receiving the two treatments. Group X would receive red KT then skin tone KT while group Y would receive skin tone KT then red KT. This will be done by having the participant select an envelope containing one of the two group assignments.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if dorsally applied kinesiology tape is an effective conservative treatment for symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and assess the potential performance effect of the tape color in first-person shooter esports games in esports gamers who exhibit symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Is dorsally applied kinesiology tape able to manage carpal tunnel syndrome-like symptoms in esports gamers? Does red kinesiology tape hinder or improve performance in first-person shooter esports games in esports gamers?

Researchers will compare red kinesiology tape to skin tone kinesiology tape. Both will be applied on the dorsal aspect of the hand and wrist of the dominant upper extremity.

Participants will visit the site 2 times to get kinesiology tape applied and complete a pre and post-test for pain and performance. Depending on randomization a participant will receive a random sequence of the study arm (ex: red then skin tone or skin tone then red tape)

Detailed description: Less Pain, More Game - Efficacy of Red Kinesiology Tape on Carpal Tunnel Symptoms and Performance in Esports Gamers is a clinical trial that aims to determine if dorsally applied kinesiology tape can manage or improve symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome in esports gamers. Esports gamers use their hands very differently from the average individual when participating in hours of video game play. This study first aims to test if kinesiology tape would benefit these individuals despite the frequency and intensity with which they use their hands and fingers.

Performance and competition is a major component of esports gaming participation. Despite how well kinesiology tape may improve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, it would not be a good treatment option if it hindered their ability to participate in esports. This study also aims to address performance as well. Color has been identified as a quality of kinesiology tape that may impact performance. Thus this study also seeks to assess the potential performance effect of the tape color in first-person shooter esports games in esports gamers who exhibit symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome.

Participants will visit the site 2 times to get kinesiology tape applied and complete a pre and post-test for the Short Form Mcgill Pain Questionnaire and a first-person shooter simulation to assess performance. The study design is a randomized controlled crossover trial thus depending on randomization a participant will receive a random sequence of the study arm (ex: red then skin tone or skin tone then red tape).

Results from this study would allow occupational therapists to promote health and wellness within the esports gamer population and enhance performance to give players an edge over their opponents.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* over 18 years old
* can see color vision
* reports having numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in the hands, wrist, or fingers
* has a positive Phalen's test result
* passes Ishihara Color Vision Test with a score of at least 12
* provides written consent
* reports to play video games over 5 hours a week on average

Exclusion Criteria:

* cognitively impaired
* pregnant
* has history of skin conditions
* has history of hand conditions other than carpal tunnel syndrome
* has history of surgery to the wrist, hand, or fingers
* is currently receiving other forms of physiotherapy
* has open wounds on the kinesiology tape application site

Primary outcomes:
measure: McGill Pain Questionnaire Short-Form
timeFrame: at intervals throughout the 3 week cycle
Secondary outcomes:
measure: 3D Aim Trainer Attack Bombsite Simulation
timeFrame: at intervals throughout the 3 week cycle
Other outcomes:
measure: End of Study Survey
timeFrame: at the last visit of the 3-week study cycle
Locations:
city: Las Vegas
country: United States
facility: University of Nevada, Las Vegas - Shadow Lane Campus
state: Nevada
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
name: Donnamarie Krause, Ph.D
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Krause D, Roll SC, Javaherian-Dysinger H, Daher N. Comparative efficacy of the dorsal application of Kinesio tape and splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. J Hand Ther. 2021 Jul-Sep;34(3):351-361. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2020.03.010. Epub 2020 Sep 4.