Effect of Kinesio Taping After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Overview

This prospective randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adding Kinesio Taping (KT) to a standardized postoperative rehabilitation program improves early clinical recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of an isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tear were randomized to receive either standardized rehabilitation combined with KT or standardized rehabilitation alone. Postoperative pain intensity was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included shoulder range of motion, postoperative edema, Constant-Murley Score, QuickDASH score, and postoperative complications. Participants were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3.

This prospective, randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effects of adding postoperative Kinesio Taping (KT) to a standardized rehabilitation program on pain, edema, shoulder range of motion, and functional recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Patients aged 40-70 years who underwent arthroscopic repair of an isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tear measuring 1-3 cm in the mediolateral dimension were eligible for inclusion. Tear size was confirmed intraoperatively using a calibrated arthroscopic probe. Only tears with Patte grade I-II tendon retraction and Goutallier grade 2 or lower fatty degeneration were included. Patients with massive or multiple-tendon rotator cuff tears, subscapularis involvement, previous surgery on the affected shoulder, glenohumeral arthritis, systemic inflammatory disease, diabetes mellitus, smoking history, or a known allergy to adhesive or kinesiology tape were excluded. After providing written informed consent, eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups using a computer-generated block randomization sequence with variable block sizes. Allocation concealment was maintained using sequentially numbered, sealed, opaque envelopes. Participants in the intervention group received KT in addition to the standardized postoperative rehabilitation program. KT was initiated on postoperative day 1 and reapplied every three days during the first four postoperative weeks, with each application maintained continuously for approximately 72 hours. Participants in the control group followed the same standardized postoperative rehabilitation program without taping. All KT applications were performed by the same certified physiotherapist using a standardized technique. Because of the visible nature of the intervention, participants and outcome assessors were not blinded to group allocation. However, the assessors were not involved in generating the randomization sequence or concealing treatment allocation. The primary outcome was postoperative pain intensity measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included shoulder forward flexion and abduction, postoperative edema, shoulder function measured using the Constant-Murley Score, upper-extremity disability measured using the QuickDASH questionnaire, and postoperative complications, including tape-related skin reactions. Postoperative edema was assessed by measuring the circumference of the operated shoulder at a standardized point in the deltoid region and comparing it with the contralateral shoulder. Shoulder range of motion was measured using a standard goniometer. Each range-of-motion measurement was repeated three times, and the mean value was recorded. Clinical assessments were performed preoperatively and on postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3. Outcomes were compared between the two groups and evaluated longitudinally to determine whether the addition of KT influenced the pattern of early postoperative recovery following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.