Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 51-10 | Page 14

J Rehabil Med 2019; 51: 734–740 REVIEW ARTICLE KINESIO TAPING IN TREATMENT OF CHRONIC NON-SPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS Yilan SHENG, MPT 1,2 , Zhouying DUAN, MD 2,3# , Qiang QU, MPT 2 , Wenhua CHEN 1,2 and Bo YU, MD, PhD 1,2 From the 1 Department of Rehabilitation, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 2 Department of Rehabilitation, School of International Medical Technology, Shanghai Sanda University and 3 Department of Rehabilitation, Shanghai Fifth Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai, China Objective: To compare the efficacy of kinesio taping on chronic non-specific low back pain with that of other general physical therapies. Methods: Relevant studies published up to 31 July 2018 were searched in electronic databases (Pub- Med, Web of Science, Science Direct, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Library, Wan- fang Data, Vip Data and China National Knowledge Infrastructure). The quality of included studies was assessed using a risk of bias assessment tool, as recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Data from visual analogue scales and Oswestry Disabi- lity Index were extracted as selected outcome in- dicators. Tests of heterogeneity were performed. Weight­ed mean difference (WMD) data with its 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used as a mea- sure of effect sizes, in order to pool the results from each included study using either a fixed or random effects model (where appropriate and possible). Results: Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion and ex- clusion criteria. The quality of included studies was moderate. Patients with chronic non-specific low back pain in the kinesio taping group achieved bet- ter pain relief (WMD   = –1.22; 95% CI –1.49 to –0.96, I 2  = 91%, p  < 0.00001) and activities of daily living –7.11; 95% CI –8.70 to –5.51, I 2  = 77%, (WMD   =  p  < 0.0001) than those in the control group. Conclusion: Kinesio taping may be a new, simple and convenient choice for intervention in low back pain. In the future, we can measure the efficacy about ki- nesio taping via clinical application in order to prove the possibility of treatment for low back pain. Key words: kinesio taping; chronic non-specific low back pain; visual analogue scale; Oswestry Disability Index. Accepted Sep 4, 2019; Epub ahead of print Sep 23, 2019 J Rehabil Med 2019; 51: 734–740 Correspondence address: Bo Yu, Department of Rehabilitation, Shang- hai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, No. 100, Haining Road, Shanghai 200080, China. E-mail: [email protected] L ow back pain is a major health issue worldwide and severely affects the quality of life of patients, resul- ting in disability and work absence (1). A 2012 review of the worldwide prevalence of low back pain reported a mean point prevalence of 11.9% (standard deviation (SD 2.0) and 1-year prevalence of 23.2% (SD 2.9) (2). LAY ABSTRACT Low back pain can be treated with a variety of ap- proaches, as described in clinical practice guidelines. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of kinesio taping for pain release and functional improve- ment in people with chronic low back pain. Significant pain relief was achieved in patients with low back pain with kinesio taping treatment, and taping was superior to physical therapies, with improvement in functional movement. Kinesio taping may be a new, simple and convenient choice for intervention in low back pain. Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) caused by acute or chronic lumbar diseases can influence the structure and functioning of the body, leading to reduced muscle strength, endurance capacity and mobility, and reduced ability in activities of daily living (ADL) (3). Mechanical disorders, including injured intervertebral disc, injury to a facet joint or sacroiliac joint, osteo- arthritis and lumbar spinal stenosis, are responsible for the main aetiology of CNSLBP (4, 5). In addition, non-mechanical factors, such as infectious, neoplastic, rheumatological, endocrinological, vascular, and gynae- cological factors, are also associated with CNSLBP (5). Self-report questionnaires, such as visual analogue scales (VAS), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), are commonly used to identify the baseline status of patients with chronic low back pain (6, 7). A VAS questionnaire can be used to represent pain intensity before and after treatment on a 0–10 scale, represen- ting progressively increasing pain (6). The ODI is a relative method to assess pain, flexibility, function, and disability changes in a patient’s status. A higher ODI score indicates more severe dysfunction (7). These self-report questionnaires provide descriptions of symptom grade, and are important for planning clinical interventions or treatment. Management of chronic low back pain currently comprises a range of intervention strategies, including physical treatments (e.g. electrotherapy, traction), exercise therapy, manual therapy (mobilization/mani- pulation and massage), drug therapy (e.g. paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, muscle relaxants) and invasive procedures (e.g. acupuncture, injections and nerve blocks) (8, 9). In most situations, the therapeutic effect of a single therapy is This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. www.medicaljournals.se/jrm doi: 10.2340/16501977-2605 Journal Compilation © 2019 Foundation of Rehabilitation Information. ISSN 1650-1977