Acute Effects of Kinesio Taping in Rotator Cuff Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT07578168 — Not applicable, Enrolling by invitation, 52 participants, Kirsehir Ahi Evran Universitesi

ClinicalTrials Daily · Areas · Conditions · Drugs · Sponsors ·

Immediate Effects of Kinesio Taping on Pain, Range of Motion, Proprioception, and Kinesiophobia in Patients With Rotator Cuff Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Registry	NCT07578168
Status	Enrolling by invitation
Phase	Not applicable
Study type	Interventional; randomized, parallel, masking: single, treatment
Enrollment	52 (Estimated)
Sponsor	Kirsehir Ahi Evran Universitesi (Other)
Conditions	Rotator Cuff Syndrome
Interventions	Kinesiology taping, Placebo Taping Group (Other)
Dates	start 2025-05-03, primary completion 2026-05-03, completion 2026-09-03 (estimated), first posted 2026-05-11, last updated 2026-05-11
Locations	1 site in Turkey (Türkiye)

-Summary

The first objective of this study is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on pain levels in individuals with rotator cuff syndrome. The second objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on range of motion. The third objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on proprioception levels. The fourth objective is to evaluate the immediate effect of kinesio taping on kinesiophobia levels.

Expand all sections · Collapse all

+Arms and interventions

Arm	Type	Interventions	Description
Kinesiology taping	Experimental	Other: Kinesiology taping	Elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm width) will be applied to the shoulder region. A Y-shaped strip will be placed over the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles with 10-15% tension during shoulder positioning in external rotation and abduction/adduction. An additional I-shaped strip will be applied over the acromioclavicular joint for mechanical correction. Application will be performed by a trained physiotherapist.
Placebo Taping Group	Sham comparator	Other: Placebo Taping Group	Participants in this group will receive sham taping using the same elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm) applied without therapeutic tension or mechanical correction. The tape will be placed superficially over the shoulder region to mimic the application procedure without intending to produce biomechanical or neurosensory effects.

Kinesiology taping (Other): Elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm width) will be applied to the shoulder region. A Y-shaped strip will be placed over the anterior and posterior deltoid muscles with 10-15% tension during shoulder positioning in external rotation and abduction/adduction. An additional I-shaped strip will be applied over the acromioclavicular joint for mechanical correction. Application will be performed by a trained physiotherapist.
Placebo Taping Group (Other): Participants in this group will receive sham taping using the same elastic kinesiology tape (Kinesio Tape Tex Gold, 5 cm) applied without therapeutic tension or mechanical correction. The tape will be placed superficially over the shoulder region to mimic the application procedure without intending to produce biomechanical or neurosensory effects.

+Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

Visual Analog Scale [Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention]: Shoulder pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Pain will be evaluated at rest, during activity, and at night.
Shoulder range of motion [Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention]: Shoulder joint range of motion (flexion, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation) will be measured using a universal goniometer.
Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale [Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention]: Kinesiophobia will be measured using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, a 17-item questionnaire scored on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater fear of movement.
Laser-Pointer Assisted Angle Reproduction Test [Baseline and 30 minutes after intervention]: Proprioception will be assessed using a laser pointer-assisted angle reproduction test at predefined shoulder positions (55°, 90°, 125°). Angular deviation will be recorded in degrees.

+Eligibility

Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to 65 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged between 18 and 65 years
* Diagnosed with rotator cuff syndrome by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
* Experiencing shoulder pain for at least 3 months
* Willing to participate and provide written informed consent
* No adhesive capsulitis
* No shoulder or neck surgery history
* No injection in the shoulder region within the last 6 months
* No neurological, rheumatological, or cognitive disorders
* No cervical radiculopathy
* No scoliosis
* No open wounds in the application area
* No known allergy to kinesiology tape (negative skin test)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Development of allergic reaction to kinesiology tape during the study
* Withdrawal of consent at any stage of the study
* Inability to complete post-intervention assessments
* Development of any condition that prevents safe participation in the study
* Non-compliance with study procedures

+Locations (1)

Facility	City	Country	Status
Kırşehir Research and Training Hospital, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Clinic	Kırşehir, Merkez	Turkey (Türkiye)