Effectiveness of the Kinesiotaping in the Treatment of Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis

Effectiveness of the Kinesiotaping in the Treatment of Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis: a Randomized, Sham-controlled, Single-blind Study

Lateral epicondylitis significantly impacts daily activities and productivity at work, making it a condition of substantial clinical and socioeconomic importance.Despite its high prevalence, clinical significance, and impact on daily life, the optimal management of LE remains a topic of ongoing debate.

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of kinesiotaping (KT) on pain intensity, functional status, and quality of life in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis (LE).

The study was conducted in the outpatient clinic for level 3 physical medicine and rehabilitation. Patients were randomized into two groups: the real kinesiotaping + home exercise group and the sham taping + home exercise group (randomized by a medical secretary outside the study). A set of widely accepted, literature-consistent primer and seconder outcomes were statistically compared to determine whether one treatment was superior to the other.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pain; Lateral Epicondylitis (tennis Elbow)
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Kinesiotaping: A standard 5-cm wide KinesioⓇ Tex Gold; Other: exercises; Device: sham taping (non-elastic medical cloth tape)

Detailed Description

Between February 1, 2024, and August 31, 2024, a total of 42 patients (17 females, 25 males) with chronic LE were included. Patients were randomized into either the KT or sham-controlled group. Patients were blinded to which group they were assigned to. The taping was performed by the same physician, who was trained and experienced in kinesiotaping.

Kinesiotaping and sham-taping were applied six times over three weeks. Both groups received recommendations for activity modification and a home-based stretching and strengthening exercise program. The exercise program was designed by an author who has a national book chapter on exercise for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis, taking into account patient specificity and adherence, and in accordance with the literaturExercise adherence was monitored through weekly outpatient controls (while taping) and by phone check-ins two weeks after the taping was completed.

Outcome measures were visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, Patient-Rated Forearm Evaluation Questionnaire (PRFEQ), grip strength, Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH), quality of life in Short Form-36 (SF-36), and The Roles and Maudsley patient satisfaction score. The subjects were assessed before treatment, at the end of treatment (week three), and four weeks after the end of treatment (week seven).The assessment parameters were also conducted by the same researcher to ensure consistency.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Selçuklu
    • Konya, Selçuklu, Turkey, 42060
      • Konya Beyhekim Research and Training Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinics

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 18 to 65 years
• A pain severity of 4 or higher on the visual analog scale (VAS) during daily activities
• A history of lateral epicondylitis symptoms lasting at least three months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Communication difficulties
• Significant psychiatric disorders
• A history of trauma within the past six months
• Neuromuscular conditions
• Abnormalities of the upper limb
• Prior upper limb surgery
• A history of rheumatic diseases
• Cervical disc pathology, polyneuropathy, or hand disorders (such as carpal or cubital tunnel syndrome, de Quervain tenosynovitis, osteoarthritis)
• Receipt of any treatment for lateral epicondylitis (e.g., local injections, physical therapy, splints) within the last six month

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Kinesiotaping; Kinesiotaping (real) + exercises	Device: Kinesiotaping: A standard 5-cm wide KinesioⓇ Tex Gold; A standard 5-cm wide KinesioⓇ Tex Gold; Other: exercises; home-based exercises
Sham Comparator: Sham-taping; Sham-taping (non-elastic medical cloth tape) + exercises	Other: exercises; home-based exercises; Device: sham taping (non-elastic medical cloth tape); sham taping

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire (PRTEE)	0 (best) to 100 (worst)	baseline, week 3, and week 7
VAS pain (0-10)	0 no pain; 10 unbearable/max. pain.	baseline, week 3, and week 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH)	0 (best condition) to 100 (worst condition)	baseline, week 3, and week 7
grip strength	using a Jamar® dynamometer (in kilograms)	baseline, week 3, and week 7
The Short Form-36 (SF-36) quality of life index	0, indicating the worst health status, to 100, representing the best possible health	baseline, week 3, and week 7
Patient satisfaction/benefit scale (The Roles and Maudsley score)	The Roles and Maudsley score was utilized to evaluate pain and activity limitations in the assessment of treatment efficacy, categorized into four levels: 1 point indicating excellent, 2 points indicating good, 3 points indicating fair, and 4 points indicating poor.	baseline, week 3, and week 7

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Konya Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 18, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 20, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): September 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 25, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 20, 2024
• Last Verified: September 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: pain; kinesiotaping; lateral epicondylitis; exercises
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Tendon Injuries; Tendinopathy; Arm Injuries; Elbow Tendinopathy; Elbow Injuries; Tennis Elbow
• Other Study ID Numbers: KonyaBeyhekimTRH2024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No