The Effect of Kinesiological Taping on Pain, Function, and Disability in Subacromial Impingement Syndrome- A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective: Subacromial Impingement Syndrome (SIS) is one of the most common shoulder pathologies that cause a reduction in pain and functional ability. This study aimed to compare the effects of kinesiological taping and traditional treatment modalities on pain, functionality, and disability in SIS patients. Materials and Methods: The study was completed with 54 patients aged 18-60 years. By randomization, the participants were divided into two groups: the Intervention Group (IG) and the Control Group (CG). While the conventional physiotherapy program (CPP) was performed for ten sessions, kinesiological taping was repeated every three days for the IG. The CG was taken to only ten sessions of CPP. The CPP protocol was applied for 60x5x2 minutes/day/week. Pain severity, function, and disability were assessed before and after the treatment. Results: There was no difference between the groups in pain severity (p=0.074), function (p=0.565), and disability (p=0.315) scores. On the other hand, there were significant improvements in pain (p=0.001), function (p=0.001), and disability (p=0.005) scores of IG according to intra-group analysis. Similar results were obtained in the CG. However, when the effect sizes of these treatment methods were examined, they did not create a clinically significant superiority compared to each other. Conclusion: In recent years, kinesiological taping has been widely used in patients with orthopedic problems. According to our results, kinesiological taping, performed in early period of physiotherapy program, did not have a clinical effect in reducing pain and improving functional status and disability when applied in addition to conventional treatment compared to conventional techniques alone. In patients with SIS, kinesiological taping alone may not be sufficient as an alternative treatment to traditional methods in the early term. However, we think the effects of different treatment combinations should be evaluated.