An investigation into the effects of kinesiotaping for posture correction on kyphosis angle, pain, and balance in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis-associated thoracic kyphosis

Although positive effect of kinesiotaping in reducing back pain in addition to exercise was observed in 6-week follow-up, no additional contribution to exercise was demonstrated in kyphosis angle and balance assessment. Instantaneous positive effect of taping was observed in kyphosis angle and static balance measurement using a SportKAT device measurements 30 min after taping.

The present study aims to investigate whether kinesiotaping for posture correction in patients with osteoporosis-related increased kyphosis provides additional benefits to routine osteoporosis and balance exercises in reducing dorsal kyphosis angle, pain, and balance.

A single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial with unblinded assessments at baseline, week 3, and week 6 and additional measures 30 min immediately after taping in intervention group only. Forty-two female osteoporotic patients with hyperkyphosis were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. The intervention group received an exercise program plus 3 sessions of kinesiotaping over the upper back; the control group received only an exercise program. The primary outcome measure was dorsal kyphosis angle, measured using a digital inclinometer. Secondary outcome measures were pain assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS 0–10 cm) and balance assessed with the Berg Balance Scale and SportKAT device.

The study was conducted on 22 patients with an average age of 64 ± 7.08 in the control group and 20 patients with an average age of 63.1 ± 8.8 in the treatment group. There was not a significant difference when dorsal kyphosis angle of the two groups was compared in terms of the change between the baseline and week 6. The mean change in the control group was 0.86 ± 2 while it was 0.70 ± 1.75 in the intervention group. No significant difference was detected between the groups in terms of balance measurements. Significant differences were seen in favor of the intervention group when the VAS pain scores of the two groups were compared in terms of the change between the baseline and week 3 (p < 0.001) and the baseline and week 6 (p < 0.001), while no such difference was identified when the changes between weeks 3 and 6 were compared between the two groups. A significant effect on dorsal kyphosis angle and balance was also shown in the treatment group 30 min after taping.

Application of kinesiotaping may have short-term positive effects on pain, but is unlikely to have significant effects on kyphosis angle or balance for women with osteoporosis. Positive changes seen in kyphosis angle and balance 30 min after taping are short-lived.