Highlights
- •Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common mononeuropathy of the hand.
- •Kinesio Taping (KT) lymphatic correction technique has been considered for CTS.
- •The study protocol consisted of 2 sessions per week for 5 weeks, including 6 exercises.
- •Significant differences between KT and sham taping were found at 5 weeks and 6 months.
- •KT might reduce symptoms and improve function in our sample of patients with mild CTS.
Abstract
Study design
Double-blind randomized controlled trial.
Introduction
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common mononeuropathy that causes pain and disability
in the affected hand. Kinesio taping (KT) has been recently proposed as a promising
conservative approach in CTS patients.
Purpose of the study
To investigate the effectiveness of KT compared to a sham taping on symptoms and hand
function in patients affected by mild CTS.
Methods
Patients affected by mild CTS with symptoms for at least 8 weeks were enrolled and
randomly allocated into two groups: KT group, according to the technique proposed
by Kase plus specific exercises; control group, undergoing a sham taping plus specific
exercise. All patients performed 2 sessions/week for 5 weeks of exercises of mobilization
of fingers and carpal joint. At the baseline, after 5 weeks (T1), and after 6 months
(T2), a physician unaware of patients’ allocation assessed the Boston Carpal Tunnel
Questionnaire (BCTQ) symptom (BCTQ-S) and functional (BCTQ-F) subscales.
Results
Forty-two patients (mean age:54.3 ± 15.0 y) were randomly allocated into KT (n = 21) and control group (n = 21). At T1, in both groups we found a significant improvement in hand function
and symptoms, as showed by BCTQ-F (KT:4.2 ± 0.7 vs 3.0 ± 0.6, P < .001; sham: 2.2 ± 0.3 vs 1.7 ± 0.3, P = .012) and by BCTQ-S (KT: 2.2 ± 0.3 vs 1.7 ± 0.3, P < .001; sham: 2.3 ± 0.4 vs 1.9 ± 0.5, P = .007). At T2, only in the KT group there was a significant difference in both sub-items
of primary outcome. There were significantly better results in the KT group at T1
and T2.
Discussion
The present study showed that KT compared to a sham taping might be more effective
in reducing perceived symptoms in mild CTS patients, reporting a clinically significant
difference.
Conclusion
KT might be considered as an effective technique combined to rehabilitative treatment
in terms of hand function and symptoms in patients affected by mild CTS.
Keywords
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JHT Read for Credit
Quiz: # 922
Record your answers on the Return Answer Form found on the tear-out coupon at the back of this issue or to complete online and use a credit card, go to JHTReadforCredit.com. There is only one best answer for each question.
- # 1.The study design is
- a.retrospective cohort
- b.qualitative
- c.RCTs
- d.case series
- a.
- # 2.The authors utilized the kinesio taping method of
- a.Kase
- b.Kleinert
- c.Artzberger
- d.Anderson
- a.
- # 3.Both groups were given exercises. The control group was
- a.told they were in the control group
- b.taped with two techniques
- c.not taped
- d.sham taped
- a.
- # 4.The __________ was used to assess outcomes
- a.Harvard Hand Function Questinnaire
- b.Michigan Hand Function Survey
- c.Quick DASH
- d.DASH
- a.
- # 5.The experimental group outperformed the control group
- a.false
- b.true
- a.
When submitting to the HTCC for re-certification, please batch your JHT RFC certificates in groups of 3 or more to get full credit.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 13, 2021
Accepted:
April 5,
2021
Received in revised form:
March 23,
2021
Received:
April 23,
2020
Footnotes
Disclosure: All authors declare no conflict of interests, consultant relationships with any organizations involved in this research.
Funding: No funding sources.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
