SUMMARY Up to 150 words summarising the case presentation and outcome (this will be freely available online) We present the case of a 46-year old woman who developed severe pain described as 'tearing' and 'searing' in the left side of mid-trapezius region near thoracic 8 vertebra (T8). The patient had undergone surgery for T8 fracture which had resulted from metastasis (secondary breast cancer). A community nurse referred the patient for physiotherapy assessment and treatment for her musculoskeletal pain and related symptoms that had affected her mobility and functional activities. The patient was treated with soft tissue therapy with the addition of kinesiology taping on follow-up visits. Kinesiology tape was applied over her left-side trapezius region and left shoulder. The patient reported significant reductions in pain severity and felt greater control and stability over her left shoulder region, which resulted in better function and overall quality of life measures. The patient did not report any adverse effects.
BACKGROUND Why you think this case is important -why did you write it up?People with cancer especially in advanced stages have to cope with a number of distressing symptoms including pain, fatigue, lack of energy, oedema, dyspnoea and abdominal discomfort that result in reduced quality of life (1-4). Management of these symptoms is pharmacotherapy-led with a trade-off between symptom relief and adverse effects. Nonpharmacological interventions are often used in combination with medication to alleviate symptoms.Kinesiology taping involves the application of elasticated, thin, porous, water-resistant, cottonbased adhesive tape to the skin. It has become popular in recent times through its use by high profile elite sports people. The tape and technique was developed in 1970s for the management and rehabilitation of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries (5). Nowadays kinesiology taping is used by physical and sports therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors and nurses to manage musculoskeletal pain, cancer-related lymphedema and stroke-related spasticity (6, 7). Kinesiology tape is available without prescription in variety of shapes, sizes, colours and patterns (e.g. Kinesio® Tex Tape, Rocktape) and can be worn for up to 5 days whilst during normal activities of daily living including showering. Kinesiology taping differs from conventional taping and bandaging techniques that often use rigid zinc oxide tape because it does not restrict movement and appears to be better tolerated (8). Conventional taping techniques stabilise injuries by reducing loading and restricting movement of injured body parts. In contrast, kinesiology tape is applied to the skin under mild tension by stretching the tape and / or stretching the skin (e.g. by flexing or extending the joint). This provides a pulling force to the skin which may correct articular malalignments and influence proprioception and muscle function (9). It is also claimed that kinesiology taping "lifts" the epidermis to produce regions of decompression beneath...