The Effect of Kinesio Taping Tension on the Pressure-Pain Threshold and Pain Tolerance: A Randomized, Controlled, Doubled-blinded Trial

Abstract

Purpose: To our knowledge, no study has demonstrated the effects of Kinesio Taping (KT) tension on pressure-pain threshold and tolerance. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of KT tension tensions on pressure pain threshold and tolerance. Methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled study was conducted with 90 healthy male subjects with an average age of 21.04 ± 2.0 years. The subjects were randomized into four groups: 0% tension placebo (n=23), 50% tension (n= 24), 75% tension (n=22) and 100% tension groups (n=21). The KT was applied from distal to proximal, exposing the lateral epicondyle region on the dominant side. Pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance were measured using digital algometer over the lateral epicondyle. Measurements were carried out, before, immediate after and 30 minutes after KT. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of PP threshold, pain tolerance and intensity (p>0.05). There was a significant in-group difference only in the 100% Tension Group in terms of PP threshold (p<0.05). On the other hand, a significant difference was observed in the placebo and 50% tension groups on the pain severity measurements (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the KT at different tensions did not affect the pressure pain threshold or tolerance. The outcomes also considered the efficacy of low- and high-tension KT on pain tolerance and severity, respectively. A further study should investigate the pain threshold and tolerance in clinical cases with a long-term follow-up.

Keywords

• Algometer
• kinesio taping
• pressure pain threshold
• pain tolerance

References

1. 1. Yoshida A, Kahanov L. The effect of kinesio taping on lower trunk range of motions. Research in Sports Medicine 2007;15(2):103-12.
2. 2. Ozmen T, Aydogmus M, Dogan H, Acar D, Zoroglu T, Willems M. The effect of kinesio taping on muscle pain, sprint performance, and flexibility in recovery from squat exercise in young adult women. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. 2016;25(1):7-12.
3. 3. Kase K, Wallis J, Kase T. Clinical Therapeutic Applications of the Kinesio Taping Method. Ken Ikai Co. s14, 2003.
4. 4. Tunay VB, Baltacı G. Kinezyo bantlama yumuşak doku yaralanmalarında etkili midir? TOTBİD Dergisi 2017;16:238-46.
5. 5. Kase, K., Hashimoto, T., Okane, T. Kinesio taping perfect manual: Development of Kinesio Tape. Kinesio Taping Association 1996
6. 6. Çeliker R, Güven Z, Aydoğ T, Bağiş S, Atalay A, Çağlar Yağci H, et al. Kinezyolojik Bantlama Tekniği ve Uygulama Alanları. Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Sciences/Fiziksel Tup ve Rehabilitasyon Bilimleri Dergisi 2011;14.
7. 7. Kalichman L, Vered E, Volchek L. Relieving symptoms of meralgia paresthetica using Kinesio taping: a pilot study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2010;91(7):1137-9.
8. 8. Fischer AA. Pressure algometry over normal muscles. Standard values, validity and reproducibility of pressure threshold. Pain 1987;30(1):115-26.

9. 9. Rollman GB, Lautenbacher S. Sex differences in musculoskeletal pain. The Clinical Journal of Pain 2001;17(1):20-4.
10. 10. ÖK G. Değişik Muskuloskeletal SistemHastalıklarının Basınç Ağrı Eşiği Üzerine Etkisi (Uzmanlık Tezi). İstanbul: Haydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği 2009.
11. 11. Robinson ME, Wise EA. Prior pain experience: influence on the observation of experimental pain in men and women. The Journal of Pain 2004;5(5):264-9.
12. 12. Robinson ME, Gagnon CM, Riley III JL, Price DD. Altering gender role expectations: effects on pain tolerance, pain threshold, and pain ratings. The Journal of Pain 2003;4(5):284-8.
13. 13. Trobec K, Peršolja M. Efficacy of Kinesio Taping in reducing low back pain: A comprehensive review. Journal of Health Sciences 2017;7(1):1-8.
14. 14. Kalron A, Bar-Sela S. A systematic review of the effectiveness of Kinesio Taping--fact or fashion. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2013;49(5):699-709.
15. 15. Mostafavifar M, Wertz J, Borchers J. A systematic review of the effectiveness of kinesio taping for musculoskeletal injury. The Physician and Sports Medicine 2012;40(4):33-40.
16. 16. Hazar Z, Çitaker S, Demirtaş Cy, Bukan Nç, Kafa N, Çelik B. Effects of kinesiology taping on delayed onset muscle soreness: a randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Exercise Therapy and Rehabilitation 2014;1(2):49-54.
17. 17. Nie H, Graven-Nielsen T, Arendt-Nielsen L. Spatial and temporal summation of pain evoked by mechanical pressure stimulation. European Journal of Pain 2009;13(6):592-9.
18. 18. Shakeri H, Soleimanifar M, Arab A, Behbahani SH. The effects of KinesioTape on the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Journal of Hand Therapy. 2018;31(1):35-41.
19. 19. Keser I, Esmer M. Does manual lymphatic drainage have any effect on pain threshold and tolerance of different body parts? Lymphatic Research and Biology 2019;17(6):651-4.
20. 20. Haefeli M, Elfering A. Pain assessment. European Spine Journal. 2006;15(1):S17-S24.
21. 21. Goel R, Balthilaya G, Reddy RS. Effect of Kinesio taping versus athletic taping on pain and muscle performance in lateral epicondylalgia. Int J Physiother Res 2015;3(1):839-44.
22. 22. Castro-Sánchez AM, Lara-Palomo IC, Matarán-Peñarrocha GA, Fernández-Sánchez M, Sánchez-Labraca N, Arroyo-Morales M. Kinesio Taping reduces disability and pain slightly in chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomised trial. Journal of Physiotherapy 2012;58(2):89-95.
23. 23. Cho H-y, Kim E-H, Kim J, Yoon YW. Kinesio taping improves pain, range of motion, and proprioception in older patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2015;94(3):192-200.
24. 24. Gökoğlu F, NA Eİ, Yorgancioğlu Z. Analysis of the pressure pain threshold in geriatric population. Turk J Geriatr 2001;4(3):113-5.
25. 25. Liu K, Yin L, Ma Z, Yu B, Ma Y, Huang L. Effect of different kinesio taping interventions on the local thresholds of current perception and pressure pain in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology 2020:1476.
26. 26. Koçak FA, Kurt EE, Sas S, Tuncay F, Erdem HR. Short-term effects of steroid injection, kinesio taping, or both on pain, grip strength, and functionality of patients with lateral epicondylitis: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2019;98(9):751-8.
27. 27. Ay S, Konak HE, Evcik D, Kibar S. The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping on pain and disability in cervical myofascial pain syndrome. Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia 2017;57:93-9.
28. 28. Chen S-M, Lo SK, Cook J. The effect of rigid taping with tension on mechanical displacement of the skin and change in pain perception. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 2018;21(4):342-6.
29. 29. Picavet HSJ, Vlaeyen JW, Schouten JS. Pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia: predictors of chronic low back pain. American Journal of Epidemiology 2002;156(11):1028-34.
30. 30. Mee S, Bunney BG, Reist C, Potkin SG, Bunney WE. Psychological pain: a review of evidence. Journal of Psychiatric Research 2006;40(8):680-90.
31. 31. Lorusso L, Salerno M, Sessa F, Nicolosi D, Longhitano L, Loreto C, et al. Autoalgometry: an important tool for pressure pain threshold evaluation. Journal of Clinical Medicine 2018;7(9):273.
32. 32. Güldoğuş F, Kelsaka E, Öztürk B. Sağlıklı gönüllülerde cinsiyet ve çalışma şartlarının ağrı eşik değeri üzerine etkisi. Ağrı. 2013;25(2):64-8.
33. 33. Zhang Y, Zhang S, Gao Y, Tan A, Yang X, Zhang H, et al. Factors associated with the pressure pain threshold in healthy Chinese men. Pain Medicine 2013;14(9):1291-300.