Effects of Kinesio Taping vs Conventional Treatment on Pain Pressure Threshold and Tissue Hardness among Females with Non-specific Lower Back Pain

Abstract

One of the highly prevalent conditions among the adult females, particularly in Pakistan is Non-Specific Lower Back Pain (NSLBP), and it has a continuous association with reduced levels of pain pressure threshold (PPT) and increased levels of tissue hardness (TH) of the musculature of the lumbo-pelvic region. This study is focused to know the comparative effects of Kinesio Taping (KT) versus Conventional Therapy (CONV) on PPT and TH in females with NSLBP.It was a randomized, two-arm, parallel-group clinical trial that was conducted at the outpatient department of Al-Tibri Medical College & Hospital and The Care Medical Centre, Karachi. Fifty females, aged between 25-38 years old, presenting with NSLBP which persists for more than three months were included into the study through purposive sampling and randomly allocated to two equal groups (n=25). The KT group received the lumbar star correction technique with 25%-35# tape tension, which was applied for three times per week for a duration of three weeks. The Conventional Therapy group received the conservative therapy which consisted of hot pack for 10 minutes and TENS on burst mode for 15 minutes at the same frequency. PPT (kg/cm²) was measured through pressure algometer and TH (N/cm²) with the tissue hardness algometer. It was measured bilaterally over the lower thoracic erector spinae, gluteus maximus, gluteus Medius and tensor fascia latae, at baseline and at the three weeks at the end of treatment. The changes within group were analysed by paired-samples t-test with significance set at p<0.05.Statistically significant improvements were produced by the KT in PPT at all the eight measured sites, (p<0.05), and the largest gain was at the right side of tensor fascia latae (3.72 → 4.19 kg/cm², p=0.001). Conventional therapy produced significant results only at the site of bilateral lower thoracic erector spinae muscle and on the left side of gluteus maximus muscle. TH was significantly reduced at bilateral tensor fascia latae and at the right side of glutes maximus and Medius as a result of KT while conventional only brought minor changes in the TH which were not significantly meaningful.KT produced significant and clinically relevant improvements in PPT and TH than conventional therapy in females with non-specific lower back pain.