Effectiveness of kinesio taping for chronic stroke patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Abstract

Purpose

Kinesio taping (KT) is an approach that has been used in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic stroke. The aim of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of KT alone or combined with other interventions for patients with chronic stroke.

Materials and methods

The search was performed on CENTRAL, EMBASE, PEDro, and five other databases and two trial registries up to July 2022. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of KT compared to control interventions. The primary outcomes were upper limb function and gait. We assessed the risk of bias in the included studies using the PEDro scale. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.

Results

We included 14 RCTs undertaken in six different countries. PEDro score ranged from 4 to 9 points. There is very-low certainty evidence that KT has no effect on gait, balance, and postural control. We found very-low certainty evidence of a slightly benefit when used in addition to other therapies for gait, balance and postural control, and pain intensity.

Conclusions

Our study findings show KT does not have enough robust evidence for improving upper limb function, gait, balance and postural control, and pain intensity in chronic stroke patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Kinesio taping (KT) is a method that has gained popularity among some health professionals to treat patients poststroke.

• There is very-low certainty evidence that KT alone has no effect on gait, balance and postural control compared to no treatment.

• There is very-low certainty evidence that KT plus other therapies may be slightly beneficial for gait, balance and postural control, and pain intensity intervention.

• Only one study reported there were no adverse events such as skin reactions or local ulceration for patients poststroke.

Keywords:

• Systematic review
• stroke
• stroke rehabilitation
• kinesio tape
• kinesiotape

Acknowledgements

Review registration: CRD42020164174.

Author contributions

AA, AL, FJ, AL, SM, CQO, and SB: conceptualization and methodology. FJ and SB: formal analysis. FJ, SM, and SB: data curation. AA, AL, FJ, and BS: investigation and resources. AA and FJ: writing – original draft. AA, AL, FJ, AL, GVF, ORKA, CQO, SM, and SB: writing – review and editing. SB: supervision.

Ethical approval

This systematic review did not need to undergo ethical committee review.

Disclosure statement

All review authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

Available for authors on reasonable request to the main authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This study did not receive any type of funding.