Table 1.
Summary of the included studies.
| Study ID | Site of MPS | KT | Control | Pain scale | Follow up | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ay et al. [22] | Cervical | I-shape, five times by intervals of 3 days for 15 days | Sham taping | VAS | 2 weeks | KT resulted in improvements in pain, pressure pain threshold, and cervical range of motion, but it did not significantly impact disability in the short term |
| Bae [13] | Sternocleidomastoid muscle | Y-shape, three times per week for 2 weeks | No treatment | VAS | 2 weeks | KT was considered a treatment technique that could be used for latent myofascial trigger points |
| Bagheri et al. [30] | Upper trapezius muscle | I-shape, 2 sessions with a 3-day interval | No treatment | — | 10 days | In participants with active trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle, KT elevated the pressure pain threshold and decreased muscle thickness |
| Capó-Juan et al. [23] | Sternocleidomastoid muscle | KT, one session | Placebo | NPS | 1 week | KT led to enhanced levels in cervical movements as measured by goniometry and contributed to an improvement in quality of life |
| Dilek et al. [29] | Upper trapezius muscle | I-shape, two times per week for 3 weeks | KT by untrained | VAS | 6 weeks | KT, whether administered by trained or untrained physiatrists, resulted in improvements in pain, palpable muscle spasm, neck function, and overall quality of life in patients with MPS |
| El-Azeim et al. [24] | Upper trapezius muscle | I-shape, twice per week for 4 weeks | No treatment | VAS | 4 weeks | KT proved to be an effective method in managing individuals with active trigger points in the upper trapezius myofascial region |
| Ghuiba et al. [25] | Lumbar | KT, one session | Sham taping | VAS | 4 days | The combination of PRT and KT demonstrated greater effectiveness in reducing pain levels, enhancing pressure pain threshold, and improving functional disability compared to using PRT or KT alone in the treatment of patients with lumbar myofascial pain syndrome |
| Halski et al. [19] | Upper trapezius muscle | Star-shape, one session | Sham taping | VAS | 1 day | The two groups did not affect the resting bioelectrical activity of the upper trapezius muscle and may not result in a decrease in muscle tone in the case of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) |
| Hashemirad et al. [20] | Piriformis muscle | Y-shape, one session | No treatment | VAS | 3 days | Application of KT may prove effective in relieving pain and increasing range of motion (ROM) in patients experiencing myofascial trigger points in the piriformis muscle |
| Kalichman et al. [26] | Upper trapezius and gastrocnemius muscles | I-shape, one session | Sham taping | — | 1 day | Placing KT directly above the myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) may prevent an immediate increase in sensitivity (indicated by a decrease in pressure pain threshold) after application |
| Kardes et al. [31] | Upper trapezius muscle | Star-shape, one session | Sham taping | VAS | Immediately after intervention | Star was found to be more effective in reducing pain and increasing cervical flexion range of motion (ROM) |
| Noguera-Iturbe et al. [28] | Upper trapezius muscle | Star-shape, one session | Sham taping | — | 3 days | The results of this study did not support the use of the Kinesio taping (KT) technique for treating patients with latent or active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle |
| Öztürk et al. [21] | Upper trapezius muscle | I-shape, applied twice, with one day of rest | Sham taping | VAS | 1 month | Patients with myofascial pain syndrome who received Kinesio taping exhibited statistically significant improvements in pain and upper trapezius muscle strength |
| Rasti and Shamsoddini [14] | Upper trapezius muscle | X-shape, applied every 3 days, for 2 weeks | Sham taping | NRS | 2 weeks | KT can reduce neck pain, increase neck range of motion, and ultimately decrease the disability caused by myofascial pain syndrome both in the short term and long term |
| Shakeri et al. [27] | Lateral epicondylitis | Diamond shape, 3 times in 1 week | Sham taping | VAS | 1 week | KT led to improvements in pain intensity and upper extremity disability in subjects with lateral epicondylitis (LE) and myofascial trigger points (MTP) in forearm muscles, with KT applied with tension being more effective than a placebo |
Note: MTrPs = myofascial trigger points.
Abbreviations: KT = Kinesio taping, MPS = myofascial pain syndrome, NPS = numerical pain scale, NRS = numerical rating scale, PRT = positional release therapy, ROM = range of motion, VAS = visual analog scale.