The effect of kinesio taping with exercise compared with exercise alone on pain, range of motion, and disability of the shoulder in postmastectomy females: a randomized control trial.

The trial followed patients for only two weeks, so it does not show whether pain, movement or disability benefit last after treatment stops. The paper reports a small sample size, and only 63 of the 74 selected patients completed the study. Random allocation was done by drawing names from a paper list and assigning them alternately, so allocation was not concealed in a way the paper describes. The control group received exercise alone, not sham tape, so the study cannot tell whether the tape itself or the additional sensory input described for kinesio tape caused the difference. The paper reports that the tester was blind, but does not report that participants or therapists were blind. All participants had stage I or II breast cancer and were receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy, so results may not apply to other postmastectomy patients. The paper does not name a primary outcome.

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Do not conclude that kinesio tape alone caused the improvement. Both groups received active-assisted range of motion, active stretching, strengthening and posture exercises, and the tape group received tape as an adjunct, so the study cannot separate the contribution of any single component.