The effect of kinesiology tape on pain and neck range of motion after cervical manipulation

Abstract

**Background:** Annually, ~30%–50%of adults will experience some form of debilitating neck pain. One approach to treating neck pain is cervical manipulation. This treatment modality has, at times, been reported to result in a short-term increase in pain,which in turn has been linked to reduced neck range of motion (ROM). Elastic therapeutic tape (ETT) has been shown to reduce musculoskeletal pain, although limited research has been conducted to determine if ETT can mitigate pain and facilitate neck ROM following cervical manipulation. **Purpose:** The purpose of this study is to compare the pain and neck ROM among patients with acute neck pain who do and do not receive ETT following cervical manipulation. **Methods:** A convenience sample of 50 patients between 18 and 64 years of age presented with acute noncomplicated neck pain was recruited from an outpatient chiropractic clinic. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups. In the tape group (n = 27), ETT was applied to their neck immediately following cervical manipulation for neck pain. In the control group (n = 23), cervical manipulation was performed with no application of ETT following the procedure. Pain and neck ROM were recorded at the following 3 different intervals: pre-cervical manipulation (T1), within 5 minutes of cervical manipulation (T2), and 24–48 hours after manipulation (T3). In total, 6 cervical ROM values were recorded with dual inclinometers. Pain was measured by asking of each patient to rate their neck pain using the numeric pain rating scale from 0 to 10. **Results:** The tape group demonstrated a significant decline (P < 0.00) in pain between T1 (x= 6.15) and T2 (x = 5.37) and between T1 and T3 (x = 4.89). The control group did not report significant changes in their pain over the duration of the study. Neither group reported any significant change in any measure of neck ROM over the duration of the study. **Clinical Relevance:** Results from this study support the use of ETT to reduce pain immediately and 24–48 hours following cervical manipulation among patients presenting with acute neck pain.