The effect of kinesiotaping on edema: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Treatment for edema involves multiple approaches, with Kinesiotaping having recently emerged as an option for edema reduction.

Objective

To systematically summarize current evidence on the effects of Kinesiotaping on edema reduction on any type of edema.

Methods

A systematic review was performed including randomized clinical trials that compared the effects of Kinesiotaping to any other intervention or no intervention on edema. Screening, assessment of methodological quality (PEDro scale) of studies, and confidence of evidence (GRADE) were analyzed by two independent reviewers. A quantitative summary is presented through meta-analyses.

Results

A total of 3750 studies were identified, of which 70 were included in this review, and were organized by body region (face, upper limbs and lower limbs) and by treatment time (short and long term). It was observed that Kinesiotaping was superior to comparison groups in the short-term for face edema (Standardized mean difference [SMD] −1.07; 95%CI -1.48 to −0.65) and lower limbs (SMD -0.55; 95%CI -1.06 to −0.05). Also, Kinesiotaping was superior to comparison group in the long-term for lower limbs (SMD -0.72; 95%CI -1.25 to −0.18). Kinesiotaping was not superior to the comparison groups for upper limbs in both the short (SMD -0.05; 95%CI -0.89 to 0.80) and long-term (SMD -0.04; 95%CI -0.31 to 0.24) protocols.

Conclusion

Kinesiotaping seems to be an effective intervention to reduce acute edema around the face and potentially in the lower limbs in both short and long-term protocols, although the quality of evidence is very low. However, these positive results were not observed for the upper limbs.