Skip to main content

Table 5 Summary of findings for taping versus no taping, pulley injuries, rock climbers

From: To tape or not to tape: annular ligament (pulley) injuries in rock climbers—a systematic review

Outcomes

Without taping

With taping

Number of participants (studies)

Certainty of the evidence (GRADE)

Conclusion

Pain, after grade 1–3 pulley injuries

N/A

90–91% of rock climbers reported no to minor pain after three months

123 (1 cohort study [11, 12] & 1 case report [7])

2/4 (before adjustment)

1/4 (after adjustment)

− 0.5 inconsistency

− 0.5 imprecision

There is very low certainty of evidence that taping reduces pain after grade 1–3 pulley injuries

Time to RTS, after grade 1–3 pulley injuries

N/A

90–91% of rock climbers could RTS after 3 months

123 (1 cohort study [11, 12] & 1 case report [7])

2/4 (before adjustment)

1/4 (after adjustment)

− 0.5 inconsistency

− 0.5 imprecision

There is very low certainty of evidence that taping allows for RTS after 3 months after grade 1–3 pulley injuries

Bowstringing, at proximal phalange, in uninjured individuals & rock climbers with previous grade 1–3 pulley injuries

Bowstringing without tape ranged from 3.45 to 3.77 mm

Bowstringing was 15–22% lower with taping

16 (2 crossover trials [6, 15])

4/4 (before adjustment)

2.5/4 (after adjustment)

− 1 serious risk of bias

− 0.5 imprecision

There is low to moderate certainty of evidence that taping reduces bowstringing after grade 1–3 pulley injuries

1 rock climber with clinical bowstringing saw no effect of taping

1 (1 case report [7])

Shearing forces against A2, in uninjured rock climbers/individuals

N/A

Taping absorbed 11–12% of shearing forces against A2

15 (2 crossover trials [6, 17])

4/4 (before adjustment)

2/4 (after adjustment)

− 1 serious risk of bias

− 0.5 indirectness

− 0.5 imprecision

There is low certainty of evidence that taping reduces shearing forces against A2

Maximum force at pulley rupture, in cadaver hands

Force at pulley rupture ranged from 153 N (50% pre-torn, subjects aged 50 to 98) to 569 N (intact, subjects aged 20 to 47, male)

There was no significant difference with taping

23 pairs of fresh frozen cadaver hands (1 RCT [9], 1 CCT [29])

4/4 (before adjustment)

1.5/4 (after adjustment)

− 0.5 risk of bias

− 0.5 inconsistency

− 1 serious indirectness

− 0.5 imprecision

Taping does not affect forces needed for pulley rupture, very low to low certainty of evidence

MVC, in rock climbers, with previous grade 1–3 pulley injuries

Reported as mean normalized finger strength in percentage of body weight

MVC in full crimp was 13% greater with taping; there was no significant difference for open hand

12 (1 crossover trial [15])

4/4 (before adjustment)

1/4 (after adjustment)

− 2 very serious risk of bias

− 0.5 inconsistency

− 0.5 imprecision

There is low certainty of evidence that taping increases MVC in full crimp for rock climbers with previous grade 1–3 pulley injuries

1 (1 case report [7])

1 rock climber with clinical bowstringing saw no decrease in MVC with taping

 

MVC & muscle activation, in uninjured rock climbers

MVC, one hand, full crimp, 24 kg in Jamar dynamometer; muscle activation measured with EMG

There was no significant difference in MVC or muscle activation with taping

60 (2 randomized crossover trials [27, 28])

4/4 (before adjustment)

3/4 (after adjustment)

− 0.5 risk of bias

− 0.5 imprecision

There is moderate certainty of evidence that taping does not affect MVC nor muscle activation in uninjured rock climbers

  1. GRADE Working Group grades of evidence, from Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) [30]
  2. 4/4, High certainty: This research provides a very good indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different is low
  3. 3/4, Moderate certainty: This research provides a good indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different is moderate
  4. 2/4, Low certainty: This research provides some indication of the likely effect. However, the likelihood that it will be substantially different is high
  5. 1/4, Very low certainty: This research does not provide a reliable indication of the likely effect. The likelihood that the effect will be substantially different is very high
  6. CCT controlled clinical trial, EMG electromyography, GRADE Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation, mm millimetre, MVC maximum voluntary contraction, N Newton, N/A not applicable, RCT randomized controlled trial, RTS return to sports