Acute Effects of Kinesio Taping in Rotator Cuff Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Immediate Effects of Kinesio Taping on Pain, Range of Motion, Proprioception, and Kinesiophobia in Patients With Rotator Cuff Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The first objective of this study is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on pain levels in individuals with rotator cuff syndrome. The second objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on range of motion. The third objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on proprioception levels. The fourth objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on kinesiophobia levels.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Rotator Cuff Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Kinesiology taping; Other: Placebo Taping Group

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 52
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Merkez
    • Kırşehir, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye), 40100
      • Kırşehir Research and Training Hospital, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged between 18 and 65 years
• Diagnosed with rotator cuff syndrome by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
• Experiencing shoulder pain for at least 3 months
• Willing to participate and provide written informed consent
• No adhesive capsulitis
• No shoulder or neck surgery history
• No injection in the shoulder region within the last 6 months
• No neurological, rheumatological, or cognitive disorders
• No cervical radiculopathy
• No scoliosis
• No open wounds in the application area
• No known allergy to kinesiology tape (negative skin test)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Development of allergic reaction to kinesiology tape during the study
• Withdrawal of consent at any stage of the study
• Inability to complete post-intervention assessments
• Development of any condition that prevents safe participation in the study
• Non-compliance with study procedures

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: Kinesiology taping; Elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm width) will be applied to the shoulder region. A Y-shaped strip will be placed over the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles with 10-15% tension during shoulder positioning in external rotation and abduction/adduction. An additional I-shaped strip will be applied over the acromioclavicular joint for mechanical correction. Application will be performed by a trained physiotherapist.	Other: Kinesiology taping; Elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm width) will be applied to the shoulder region. A Y-shaped strip will be placed over the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles with 10-15% tension during shoulder positioning in external rotation and abduction/adduction. An additional I-shaped strip will be applied over the acromioclavicular joint for mechanical correction. Application will be performed by a trained physiotherapist.
Sham Comparator: Placebo Taping Group; Participants in this group will receive sham taping using the same elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm) applied without therapeutic tension or mechanical correction. The tape will be placed superficially over the shoulder region to mimic the application procedure without intending to produce biomechanical or neurosensory effects.	Other: Placebo Taping Group; Participants in this group will receive sham taping using the same elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm) applied without therapeutic tension or mechanical correction. The tape will be placed superficially over the shoulder region to mimic the application procedure without intending to produce biomechanical or neurosensory effects.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale	Shoulder pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Pain will be evaluated at rest, during activity, and at night.	Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention
Shoulder range of motion	Shoulder joint range of motion (flexion, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation) will be measured using a universal goniometer.	Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention
Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale	Kinesiophobia will be measured using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, a 17-item questionnaire scored on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater fear of movement.	Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention
Laser-Pointer Assisted Angle Reproduction Test	Proprioception will be assessed using a laser pointer-assisted angle reproduction test at predefined shoulder positions (55°, 90°, 125°). Angular deviation will be recorded in degrees.	Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kirsehir Ahi Evran Universitesi

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 3, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 3, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 11, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 11, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Shoulder Pain; Rotator Cuff Syndrome; Kinesiology Taping
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Joint Diseases; Arthralgia; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Shoulder Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: KAEU-T.ATAHAN-013

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

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