Effect of Kinesio Tape on Neck Pain in Lactating Women

Effect of Kinesio Tape on Neck Pain in Lactating Women. A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study will be conducted to investigate the effect of kinesio tape on neck pain in lactating women.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Neck Pain Musculoskeletal
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Hot pack; Other: Kinesio tape

Detailed Description

Neck pain is widely prevalent and can be exacerbated by poor posture and prolonged or repetitive positions-both of which are common in lactating mothers. Research shows that a significant percentage of breastfeeding women experience musculoskeletal pain, often linked to specific postures such as the cross-cradle hold. Prolonged forward head posture (FHP) and muscle imbalances in the neck-shoulder region further contribute to mechanical neck pain by placing excessive strain on muscles, joints, and connective tissues.

Kinesio taping (KT) is a non-pharmacological technique aimed at alleviating pain and improving functional movement. By lifting the skin slightly, KT is proposed to enhance local blood and lymphatic flow, reduce nociceptive signals, and stimulate proprioceptive feedback. Multiple studies suggest KT can help correct posture, relieve muscle fatigue, and improve range of motion, thus offering a promising intervention for mechanical neck pain. These benefits are potentially valuable for lactating mothers, who are especially prone to postural stresses and neck discomfort due to the physical demands of breastfeeding.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Sara A. Amr; Phone Number: +201099831333; Email: sosaasem.88@gmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Afaf Botla, PHD; Phone Number: 01283126608; Email: drafafmohamed@cu.edu.eg

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo, Egypt
    • Al Zahra University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• All women are complaining from neck pain.
• Their ages will be ranged from 20 to 30 years old.
• Their body mass index will not exceed 30 kg/m².
• They are medically stable and consented to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cervical spondylosis.
• Cervical disc prolapse.
• History of fracture of cervical spine.

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
Active Comparator: Hot pack group; The participants will be treated by hot packs on the neck for 12 weeks.	Other: Hot pack; The participants will be treated by hot packs on neck for 15 minutes, 3 times per weeks for 12 weeks.
Experimental: kinesio tape and hot pack group; The participants will be treated by hot packs and kinesio tape on the neck for 12 weeks.	Other: Hot pack; The participants will be treated by hot packs on neck for 15 minutes, 3 times per weeks for 12 weeks.; Other: Kinesio tape; The participants will be treated by hot packs and kinesio tape. The tape will be placed for several days (3-5 days of application) then it will be removed and repeated for 12 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain intensity	Pain will be assessed through visual analogue scale (VAS) for each woman in both groups before and after treatment. It is usually a horizontal line, 100 mm long, whose ends are labeled as the extreme ("no pain" and "pain as bad as it could be"). The patient is asked to put a mark on the line indicating their pain intensity. Sometimes descriptive, such as 'mild', 'moderate', 'sever', or numbers are provided along the scale for guidance. it is valid and reliable tool to assess pain intensity.	12 weeks
Pain pressure threshold	An electronic pressure algometer "Force one gauge- model FDI" (Wagner instruments, Greenwish, CT, USA) will be used to measure myofascial trigger points tenderness by determining the pain pressure threshold using a pressure probe, that's placed on the trigger point. With a 1-cm 2 rubber disc at the end of the device. Pressure will be applied perpendicularly to the skin at constant speed, and the woman will be asked to say stop at the time she started feeling pain.	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neck flexion range of motion	Goniometer will be used to measure neck flexion range of motion for all women in both groups before and after treatment. The axis of the goniometer will be placed over the external auditory meatus. The stationary arm placed vertically or perpendicular to the floor and the moving arm placed on the base of the nose. The participants will be asked to flex neck and the angle will be recorded. Normal cervical flexion range of motion is usually approximately 80º.	12 weeks
Neck extension range of motion	Goniometer will be used to measure neck extension range of motion for all women in both groups before and after treatment. The axis of the goniometer will be placed over the external auditory meatus. The stationary arm placed vertically or perpendicular to the floor and the moving arm placed on the base of the nose. The participants will be asked to extend neck and the angle will be recorded. Normal cervical extension range of motion is usually approximately 50º.	12 weeks
Neck lateral flexion range of motion	Goniometer will be used to measure neck extension range of motion for all women in both groups before and after treatment. The axis of the goniometer will be placed over the spinous process of the C7. The stationary arm placed along the imaginary line between the two acromion processes either vertically or perpendicular to the floor or horizontal and parallel to the floor and the moving arm placed over the external occipital protuberance. The participants will be asked to perform lateral flexion of the neck and the angle will be recorded. Normal cervical lateral flexion range of motion is usually approximately 45º.	12 weeks
Neck rotation range of motion	Goniometer will be used to measure neck extension range of motion for all women in both groups before and after treatment. The axis of the goniometer will be placed over the over to the center of the patients' head. The stationary arm placed along an imaginary line between the two acromion processes and the moving arm placed at the tip of the nose. the participants will be asked to perform neck rotation and the angle will be recorded. Normal cervical rotation range of motion is usually approximately 80º.	12 weeks
Northwick park neck pain questionnaire	A neck pain questionnaire using nine five-part sections has been devised to overcome this problem. Questions on duration and intensity of pain were good indicators of a patient's global assessment. The questionnaire is easy for patients to complete, simple to score and provides an objective measure to evaluate outcome in patients with acute or chronic neck pain. The questionnaire consists of 9 sections about daily activities. Each section contains 1 question and 5 statements. Each section is scored on a 0-4 scale, 4 representing the greatest disability, and 0 representing the least disability. The total score is obtained by summing the scores for the 9 sections (possible score: 0-36).	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Mohamed Awad, Professor, Cairo university; Study Director: Abd El Hamid Atta Allah, PHD, Al-Azhar University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): March 29, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 15, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 21, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 28, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 28, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 21, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Neck Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: P.T.REC/012/003812

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No