Immediate Effects of Bilateral Neuromuscular Taping on Upper Trapezius Muscle in Patients with Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Researchers investigated the effects of neuromuscular taping on different musculoskeletal conditions. Considering the demonstrated short-term effectiveness of neuromuscular taping for the management of shoulder pain, kinesiotaping may also be beneficial in reducing pain in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. Objective To determine the immediate effects of neuromuscular taping on head position, neck pain and cervical range of motion in individuals with neck pain. Methods Sixty subjects with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: the experimental group received neuromuscular taping on upper trapezius bilaterally (with tension) and the placebo group received a sham neuromuscular taping application (without tension). Visual analogue scale (VAS), craniocervical angle and cervical range of motion data were collected at baseline and immediately after the neuromuscular taping application. Results The group- by-time interaction for t-test was statistically significant for pain recorded by visual analogue scale (p < 0.001). Patients in the experimental group obtained a similar improvement in pain to those in the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusions Patients with mechanical neck pain who received and application of neuromuscular taping with proper tension or sham neuromuscular taping exhibited similar reductions in neck pain intensity, but not in cervical range of motion.