Table 3 Details of the included studies
Study Design | Health status/ medical condition Joint assessed | Sample size (N) Gender distribution (F, M) (Age in years as Mean ± SD/ range) | Taping methods Taping application by | Force sense assessment | Taping technique | Timing of post-test | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Li, Wei [81] Repeated measure design | Functional ankle instability with fatigue Ankle | N = 28 13F, 15 M (21.2 ± 2) | F-KT: Facilitatory Kinesiotape AB-KT: Ankle balance Kinesiotape PT: Placebo tape NT: No tape Physical therapist | Absolute force sense reproduction at 25% of MVIC Variable force sense reproduction at 25% of MVIC | FKT: Applied according to Kase’s technique [25] in four strips with 50% tension, initial position with the ankle in slight plantarflexion Strip 1: Applied on anterior mid-foot (115–120% stretch), attached below anterior tibial tuberosity over tibialis anterior Strip 2: Applied above the medial malleolus, the wrapped around heel like a stirrup, attached just lateral to strip 1 Strip 3: Applied across the ankle anteriorly, covering both lateral and medial malleoli Strip 4: Applied on the arch with a slight stretch (4–6 inches) above both lateral and medial malleoli AB-KT: Applied according to [84] in four steps with 50% tension Step 1: Applied to perform posterior talar glide, the ankle was held in slight dorsiflexion while applying kinesiology tape from the talus to the calcaneus Step 2: Applied to perform ankle inversion, the ankle was held in slight inversion while applying kinesiology tape from 5 cm above the medial malleolus through the lateral calcaneus to the outside of the instep Step 3: Applied to perform ankle eversion, the ankle was held in slight eversion while applying kinesiology tape from 5 cm above the lateral malleolus through the medial calcaneus to the inside of the instep Step 4: Applied over the first tape, covering it completely to increase ankle support and posterior talar glide while holding the ankle in slight dorsiflexion. PT: Applied in two steps Step 1: Applied from below the medial calcaneus to midway up the medial aspect of the lower leg Step 2: Applied from below the lateral malleolus to midway up the lateral aspect of the lower leg | Post-fatigue F-KT/AB-KT/PT | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with F-KT, AB-KT as compared to PT or NT No difference in relative variable force sense accuracy with F-KT, AB-KT as compared to PT or NT |
Lin, Yang [52] Repeated measures design | Healthy Wrist | N = 24 12F, 12 M (22.9 ± 1.5) | KT: Kinesiotape KT 20%: Kinesiotape with 20% additional stretch NT: No tape Not reported | Absolute force sense reproduction at 20% of MVIC | KT: Y-shape strip applied on the skin (0% stretch) above finger flexors with an anchor set at the wrist, then KT extended to tendon region of finger flexor KT 20%: Similar to KT but tension applied on the middle area of tape (20% stretch), and no stress on the ends of the tape | Pre-KT/KT 20% Post- KT/KT 20%: - | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with KT, KT 20% as compared to NT |
Han [49] Repeated measures design | Healthy (geriatric) Ankle | N = 13 5F, 8 M 64.4 ± 6.95 | KT: Kinesiotape PT: placebo tape NT: No tape Physical Therapist | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied in an initial position with calf stretched according to [87] from the proximal gastrocnemius muscle insertion to calcaneus bone with tension (15–20% stretch), KT applied in four steps Step 1: KT anchored at heel with ankle joint in the neutral position Step 2: Calf muscle stretched Step 3: Y-strip divided the proximal end of the tape and then attached to the medial and lateral end of the gastrocnemius muscle Step 4: I-strip applied from the posterior surface of the calcaneus to the upper part of the gastrocnemius junction PT: KT was applied in three strips on the heel and medial, and lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle | Pre-KT/PT Post-KT/PT: immediately after with KT/PT | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT |
Hosseini, Salehi Dehno [68] Cross-sectional pretest–posttest design | Healthy Wrist | KT OI: N = 15 15F (24.9 ± 3.7) KT IO: N = 15 15F (24.9 ± 3.7) NT: N = 15 15F (24.9 ± 3.7) | KT OI: Kinesiotape from origin to insertion KT OI: Kinesiotape from insertion to origin NT: No tape Not reported | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC Relative force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied on the wrist flexor muscles of the dominant hand with 30% tension according to Kase’s procedure [25] KT sliced from the middle to produce two tails of a Y-strip and applied on the anterior part of the forearm with the arm relaxed and in supination and the wrist, and elbow in full extension KT OI: Base of Y-strip applied near medial epicondyle of humerus and two tails positioned around muscle belly, the two distal parts were attached around the base of the fifth metacarpal KT IO: Base of Y-strip applied near fifth metacarpal and two tails positioned around muscle belly, the two proximal parts were attached around medial epicondyle of humerus | Pre-KT Post-KT: 24 h after | Significant ↑ in relative force sense accuracy in KT OI group as compared to NT No difference in absolute force sense accuracy 24 h after KT OI, KT IO as compared to NT No difference in relative force sense accuracy 24 h after KT IO as compared to NT |
Momeni-lari, Ghasemi [67] Pretest–posttest Quasi-experimental design | Functional ankle instability Ankle | N = 20 20F (27.7 ± 8.1) | KT: Kinesiotape Not reported | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied with two I-strips and one Y-strip with tendon correction technique I-strip 1: Applied (50% stretch) from anterior tibialis anterior in plantar flexion and eversion from the middle of the leg to the tibial tuberosity I-strip 2: Applied (50% stretch) for gastrocnemius in dorsiflexion from posterior ankle to knee joint Y-strip 1: Applied (50% stretch) for peroneus in dorsiflexion and inversion from the outer ankle surface to the back of the head of the fibula | Pre-KT Post-KT: immediately after KT | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT |
Hopper, Grisbrook [80] Repeated measures design | Healthy Ankle | N = 16 16F (22.9 ± 3.9) | RT: Rigid sports tape NT: No tape Physical Therapist | Absolute force sense reproduction at 30% of MVIC | RT: Applied on the ankle joint to support medial and lateral ligament complex while allowing complete range of motion with hindfoot taping technique from Hopper, McNair [88] RT applied in three steps Step 1: two stirrups applied Step 2: stirrups were followed by two half eight Step 3: RT finished with a horizontal locking tape | Pre-RT Post-RT: immediately after RT | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with RT as compared to NT |
Simon, Garcia [57] Case control repeated measures design | Functional ankle instability Ankle | N = 14 5F, 9 M (20.8 ± 1.4) | KT: Kinesiotape Healthcare provider | Absolute force sense reproduction at 30% of MVIC | KT: Four strips were applied according to Kase’s procedure [89] Strip 1: applied on the dorsum of the foot and then up the anterior aspect of the ankle and the lower leg ending distal to the knee approximately over the tibial tuberosity Strip 2: applied on the plantar surface of the foot and traveled laterally over the lateral malleolus and lateral aspect of the lower leg, the strip ended on the proximal lower leg over the head of the fibula Strip 3: applied anteriorly across the ankle from the medial to the lateral aspect Strip 4: applied on the plantar surface of the foot anterior to the second strip, it then proceeded laterally and ended on the anteromedial aspect of the lower leg approximately one-third of the way up the leg | Pre-KT Post-KT: immediately after, 72 h after | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy immediately after, 72 h after KT |
Healthy Ankle | N = 14 12F, 2 M (21.2 ± 2.6) | NT: No tape - | - | - | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy immediately after, 72 h after KT | ||
Chang, Cheng [66] Case control repeated measures design | Medial epicondylitis Wrist | N = 10 10 M (19.5 ± 1.5) | KT: Kinesiotape PT: Placebo tape NT: No tape Not reported | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC Relative force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied on the wrist flexor muscles of the dominant hand according to Kase’s procedure [25] To ensure the stretch of tape equals 15% to 20%, stretch KT was cut from the middle to produce a Y-strip. Y-strip applied on common wrist flexor muscle from its insertion to origin. The first tail of the Y-strip was applied on the middle part of the forearm with the wrist in hyperextension, the elbow in full extension, and the forearm in full supination. The second tail of the Y-strip was applied from insertion to origin along the medial edge of the forearm to wrap common wrist flexor muscles | Pre-KT Post-KT/PT: immediately after KT/PT | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to NT No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT No difference in relative force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT |
Healthy Wrist | N = 17 17 M (19.9 ± 1.5) | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to NT No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT No difference in relative force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT | |||||
Chang, Wang [82] Case control repeated measures design | Medial epicondylitis Wrist | N = 10 ? (19.5 ± 1.4) | KT: Kinesiotape PT: Placebo tape NT: No tape Physical Therapist | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC Relative force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied on the wrist flexor muscles of the dominant hand according to Kase’s procedure [25] To ensure the stretch of tape equals 15% to 20%, stretch Kt was cut from the middle to produce a Y-strip. Y-strip applied on common wrist flexor muscle from its insertion to origin. The first tail of the Y-strip was applied on the middle part of the forearm with the wrist in hyperextension, the elbow in full extension, and the forearm in full supination. The second tail of the Y-strip was applied from insertion to origin along the medial edge of the forearm to wrap common wrist flexor muscles | Pre-KT Post-KT/PT: immediately after KT/PT | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy between KT, NT and PT No difference in relative force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT |
Healthy Wrist | N = 17 ? (19.8 ± 1.5) | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to NT and PT No difference in relative force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT Significant ↑ in relative force sense accuracy with PT as compared to NT | |||||
Lee, Kwon [83] Case control repeated measures design | Lateral epicondylitis Wrist | N = 15 ?F, ?M (41.9 ± 6.8) | ZnOT: Zinc oxide tape NT: No tape Physical Therapist | Absolute active RE during wrist extension for target angle 20º, 25º, 30º | ZnOT: Applied with the wrist extended to contract with extensor carpi radialis brevis, then tape applied on the proximal forearm starting medially and tracking laterally, the process repeated twice or thrice The tape tightened as per the subject’s tolerability and was snug during the contraction of wrist extensors | Pre-ZnOT Post-ZnOT: Immediately after ZnOT | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with ZnOT as compared to NT |
Healthy Wrist | N = 15 ?F, ?M (42 ± 5.2) | No difference in absolute force sense accuracy with ZnOT as compared to NT | |||||
Chang, Chou [65] Repeated measures design | Healthy Wrist | N = 21 21 M (20.8 ± 2.6) | KT: Kinesiotape PT: Placebo tape NT: No tape Not reported | Absolute force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC Relative force sense reproduction at 50% of MVIC | KT: Applied on the wrist flexor muscles of the dominant hand according to Kase’s procedure [25] Y-strip applied on common wrist flexor muscle from its insertion to origin with 15% to 20% stretch. The first tail of the Y-strip was applied on the middle part of the forearm with the wrist in hyperextension, the elbow in full extension, and the forearm in full supination. The second tail of the Y-strip was applied from insertion to origin with a 15% to 20% stretch along the medial edge of the forearm PT: KT applied as an I-strip with 0% stretch, applied from the inferior region to the medial epicondyle of the humerus from the middle line of the medial side of the forearm and across the belly of the common wrist flexor with 15% to 20% stretch to wrap common wrist flexor muscles | Pre-KT Post-KT/PT: immediately after KT/PT | Significant ↑ in absolute force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT Significant ↑ in relative force sense accuracy with KT as compared to PT and NT |