Effectiveness of kinesio taping in bicipital tendinitis treatment: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim Biceps tendinitis is characterized by inflammation of the biceps long head, and treatment options include various conservative and surgical methods. Kine- siotaping (KT) has benefited in reducing pain and providing motor control in various shoulder disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of KT application in patients with biceps tendinitis in terms of pain, pain threshold, upper extremity functionality level and quality of life.Methods Eighty patients with biceps tendinitis were divided into two groups randomly, each comprising 40 patients. The study group received KT with an exercise program, the control group received an exercise program only. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations were conducted. Pain threshold was evaluated with a digital algometer, pain severity with visual analog scale (VAS), functional capacity with the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score (Q-DASH) and quality of life with Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).Results The mean duration of the symptoms was 4.5 months and the mean age was 45.80±8.48 years. Pain intensity decreased during activity (p<0.001) and pain thresholds increased (p<0.001) in the KT group. Q-DASH scores improved significantly in patients in the KT group, there was a less significance in the control group (p<0.001, 0.043). The NHP scores except social isolation improved in all sub-parameters of the KT group and there was no significance in control group (p>0.05, 0.003, 0.012, 0.023, 0.225, 0.035, 0.029, 0.006).ConclusionKT application decreases pain and increases the functional capacity level and can also play a role in improving the general quality of life in biceps tendinitis treatment.

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Introduction

The prevalence of shoulder pain in the general population is between 7-26% and the lifetime prevalence reaches 67% ¹. Biceps tendinitis is characterized by inflammation of the long head of the biceps and is one of the most common pathologies causing shoulder pain. Studies specific to the definition of biceps tendinitis were first performed by Codman in 1934. It often occurs as a result of mechanical irritation and degeneration of the tendon due to subacromial compression, trauma or excessive use ². Although it is frequently accompanied by degenerative rotator sheath lesions or impingement syndrome, primary biceps tendinitis occurs in 5% of cases ³. Although there is no specific test with reliable positive predictive value in the clinical evaluation of biceps tendinitis, anterior shoulder pain, sensitivity in the bicipital groove, and Speed and Yergason tests can be seen positively ⁴. In palpation, while the arm is at 10 degrees internal rotation, it is determined by the pain felt at the pressure applied approximately 7.5 cm below the acromion in the anterior of the shoulder. Magnetic resonance imaging is valuable for evaluating the biceps tendon, bicipital groove, bone osteophytes, and fluid ⁵.
Nonoperative approaches are preferred in the treatment of biceps tendinitis. Treatment methods include physiotherapy, rest, activity modification, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid injections and surgical interventions. Conservative physiotherapy methods include many multimodal approaches such as exercise, joint and soft tissue mobilizations, electrotherapeutic and thermal applications. In terms of exercise approaches, eccentric and eccentric-concentric exercises are used most frequently in the treatment of tendinitis. Although eccentric exercises have shown beneficial effects in patients with tendinitis by stimulating and organizing collagen synthesis ^6,7, in recent years, concentric and eccentric exercise components have been reported to provide a process defined as ‘mechanotransduction’ that accelerates tissue healing with mechanical loading ⁸.
Kinesiotape (KT) application is a treatment method that has been used since 2007 and has become one of the current physiotherapy approaches in recent years. KT applications are recommended in rehabilitation protocols because they reduce pain and provide motor control ⁹. KT stabilizes the muscles and joints with its elastic acrylic adhesive structure. KT increases interstitial space by creating skin lifting effect in manually stretched structures, facilitates tissue regeneration, and accelerates lymphatic and venous flow. It reduces pain by creating decompression in subcutaneous nociceptors in connective tissue ⁹. Although its efficacy has been observed in various patient groups, no study evaluating its efficacy has been found specifically in patients with biceps tendinitis ^5,9,10.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of KT application in patients with biceps tendinitis in terms of pain, pain threshold, upper extremity functionality level and quality of life. Our hypothesis is that KT method applied in addition to exercise in biceps tendinitis will be more useful than exercise alone.

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