Assessment of the effects of kinesio-taping in addition to conventional physiotherapy methods on upper extremity functions, quality of life and emotional state in patients with chronic rotator cuff syndrome

Aim: Shoulder joint is important for the functional capacity of the upper extremity. A big part of the functionality in this joint is created by rotator cuff muscles. Rotator cuff injuries are the primary reason for shoulder induced pain and injuries. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of kinesio-taping in addition to conventional physiotherapy methods on upper extremity function, quality of life and emotional state in patients with chronic rotator cuff syndrome. Material and Method: Our study was conducted on 92 (64 female-28 male) patients with rotator cuff syndrome (RCS). The patients were randomly grouped in two. The first group was given conventional therapy, while kinesio taping was applied to the second group twice a week in addition to conventional physiotherapy techniques. Each patient was assessed before and after treatment with DASH (the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) scale, SF-36 (short form-36) scale, VAS (visual analogue scale) score and BECK depression inventory. Each group was compared in terms of treatment efficiency both within the group and with the other group and statistical analyses were made. Results: Statistically significant decrease was found in both groups in terms of both pre-treatment and post-treatment DASH and VAS assessments. SF-36 scores were found to increase statistically significantly. When post-treatment scores were compared, statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. No statistically significant difference was found in both groups in terms of BECK depression inventory scores. Conclusion: It was concluded that when applied in addition to conventional physiotherapy techniques in clinic, kinesio taping treatment was an effective treatment method in terms of developing upper extremity functions, increasing quality of life in patients and decreasing pain.