Effects of Neuromuscular Taping on Shoulder Pain and Function in Pitchers: A Clinical Trial

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• Shoulder Pain 707
• Pain 2,219

Keywords

• neuromuscular taping
• pain
• function
• shoulder

Shoulder Pain

707 studies on the registry are indexed under Shoulder Pain; 152 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 62 is close to the median of 60 across 561 interventional studies indexed under Shoulder Pain.

Lead sponsor

Sandra Jiménez-del-Barrio is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Study arms

• Placebo comparator
  Placebo group

  The placebo group will receive the same bandage, with the same strip arrangement, but without any tension (0%) applied to any of the strips. Furthermore, participants will not receive any instructions for muscle activation during application. This placebo technique has been used in previous studies, supporting its methodological validity.

  Other: Placebo Group

• Experimental
  Experimental group

  The experimental group will receive neuromuscular taping with kinesiology tape, consisting of two longitudinal strips applied along the lower trapezius muscle, with a tension close to 100% of the tape's elastic capacity. During application, the participant will be asked to activate the scapular depressor and retractor muscles. Additionally, two more longitudinal strips will be applied from the anterior portion of the humeral head towards the scapular spine, also with a tension close to 100%. During this application, the participant will be asked to activate the rotator cuff by applying a posteroanterior push to the humeral head.

  Other: Experimental Group

Interventions

• OtherExperimental Group

  The experimental group will receive a multilayer neuromuscular taping application using kinesiotape, consisting of the placement of two longitudinal strips in the direction of the lower trapezius, applied with tension close to 100% of the tape's elastic capacity. During the application, participants will be asked to activate the scapular depressor and retractor muscles. Additionally, two other longitudinal strips will be applied from the anterior portion of the humeral head toward the scapular spine, also with tension close to 100%. During this application, participants will be asked to activate the rotator cuff through a posteroanterior push of the humeral head.

• OtherPlacebo Group

  The placebo group will receive the same taping, with an identical arrangement of the strips, but without applying any tension (0%) to them. In addition, participants will not receive any instructions regarding muscle activation during the application. This placebo taping model has been used in previous studies, supporting its methodological validity.

Primary outcomes

1. Actual Pain Intensity

   Pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Participants will be asked to rate the intensity of pain experienced at the time of measurement

   Time frame: Baseline, after 30 minutes of the intervention and 72 hours after intervencion

2. Pain Intensity during the arm elevation

   Pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS), ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Participants will be asked to rate the intensity of pain experienced during arm elevation.

   Time frame: Baseline, 30 minutes after intervention and 72 hours after intervention

Secondary outcomes

1. Static Scapular Position

   Scapular position will be measured using an anterior/posterior scale. This static position will be recorded while standing, using a digital clinometer installed on a smartphone (Clinometer app). The inclinometer will be positioned directly over the scapular spine in the direction of the infraglenoid fossa.

   Time frame: Baseline, 30 minutes after intervention and 72 hours after intervention

2. Range of Motion

   Pain-free ROM during shoulder flexion, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation will be measured following the protocol described by Shin et al.Participants will be instructed to flex the affected arm as far as possible, keeping the thumb pointing toward the ceiling. For adduction measurement, the patient will be placed in the side-lying position, and the evaluator will manually stabilize the scapula against the patient's thorax, allowing the arm to hang horizontally in adduction. For internal and external rotation, participants will be positioned supine with the shoulder abducted to 90°, the elbow flexed to 90°, and the forearm in a neutral position. A rolled towel will be placed under the humerus to maintain shoulder alignment. Participants will be asked to rotate their arm until pain onset or until scapular movement is observed. Three attempts of each movement will be recorded, and the mean range of motion (ROM) will be used for statistical analysis.

   Time frame: Baseline, 30 minutes after intervention and 72 hours after intervention

3. Functional Capacity

   Functional capacity will be assessed using the SPADI questionnaire. The SPADI is a patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess shoulder pain and functional disability. It consists of 13 items divided into two domains: pain and disability. The total score will be calculated by summing both domains and converting the result to a scale of 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate greater pain and disability.

   Time frame: Baseline, 30 minutes after intervention and 72 hours after intervention

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided