Effects of kinesiotaping and exercise program on patients with obesity-induced coccydynia: a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of kinesiotaping and a designed exercise program versus sham kinesiotaping and the same exercise program on pain, range of motion, and activities of daily living in obese patients suffering from coccydynia. Design: A double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient, Cairo University hospitals. Participants: Sixty patients with coccydynia randomized equally into kinesiotape plus exercise and sham kinesiotape plus exercise groups. Intervention: The kinesiotape was worn for three days and replaced for three weeks. Each patient practiced exercises for three weeks. Outcome measures: All patients were examined by visual analogue scale (VAS) for rating pain, Modified Modified Schober Test (MMST), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). All outcomes were measured at baseline, three weeks postintervention, and four weeks follow-up. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between groups at baseline ( P < 0.05), but there were statistically significant differences between groups for pain score, MMST, and ODI at post and follow-up data in favor of the kinesiotape group ( P < 0.001). For the three weeks postintervention, mean (SD) for pain score, MMST, and ODI was 33.07 ± 3.8, 6.6 ± 0.7, and 8.7 ± 2.1 in the study group and 39.9 ± 4.7, 5.8 ± 1.4, and 14.4 ± 2.7 in the control group, respectively. For the four weeks follow-up, mean (SD) for pain score, MMST, and ODI was 32.2 ± 3.4, 7.13 ± 0.6, and 7.2 ± 1.8 in the study group and 40.9 ± 4.4, 6.6 ± 0.75, and 13 ± 2 in the control group, respectively. Conclusion: Experimental kinesiotape intervention and exercise program provided significant improvements in pain, range of motion, and disability. It is suggested as an adjunctive therapy in treating obese patients with coccydynia.