Systematic Review of Lumbar Elastic Tape on Trunk Mobility: A Debatable Issue.
Robbert N van Amstel, Karl Noten, Lara N van den Boomen and 4 others
PMID 34589682WHAT IT FOUND
Lumbar elastic tape does not meaningfully improve trunk mobility.
While some studies reported statistical changes, these were smaller than the measurement error of the tests used. Clinicians should not expect tape alone to increase range of motion.
Key findings
01The review found no evidence that elastic tape improves trunk mobility, as significant changes in studies did not exceed the minimal detectable change.
02There is no evidence that the direction or tension of the tape application influences trunk mobility.
03Extension range of motion did not significantly change in any included study.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The included studies had small sample sizes and varied widely in their protocols, including tape tension, direction, and duration of application. The review excluded studies using mobile phone inclinometer apps due to reliability concerns, which may have limited the number of available studies. Most studies applied tape in a caudal-to-cranial direction, so the effects of other application directions remain unknown.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are detailed in the provided text, though the review was registered on the Open Science Framework.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret statistically significant p-values in the original studies as proof of clinical benefit. Many of these changes were smaller than the minimal detectable change of the measurement tools, meaning they could be due to testing error rather than a real improvement in mobility.