Does kinesiology tape increase trunk forward flexion?

INTRODUCTION: Non specific lower back pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder in manual labourers due to the strenuous nature of their job. Fear of pain can cause restrictions in trunk movement leading to reduced flexibility. Kinesiology Tape (KT) may be an option for treating low back stiffness. The present study investigated the immediate effect of KT on trunk flexion active range of motion.

METHOD: 34 male participants (mean age ± SD: 42 ± 11), in physically demanding jobs, asymptomatic of pain, with a history of non specific lower back pain were randomly assigned to: 1) KT Intervention (KTI) or 2) KT Placebo (KTP). Trunk flexion data was collected at baseline and immediately following tape application. ANCOVA was used to examine the differences between groups.

RESULTS: The KTI group demonstrated a statistically significant gain in Trunk flexion compared with baseline (2.75 cm, P < 0.05). Changes from pre to post treatment for the KTP were not significant (1.57 cm, P = 0.062). No statistically significant differences existed between groups post-treatment (P = 0.218).

CONCLUSION: KTI demonstrates an immediate positive effect on trunk flexion when compared with baseline measurements. However, results suggest that KTI performs no better than a comparable placebo.