What is the impact of Kinesotaping on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Background: For individuals with ACL injuries, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a frequent surgical technique. Restoration of knee function and excellent outcomes depend heavily on postoperative therapy. As a therapeutic intervention for several musculoskeletal illnesses, the benefits and effectiveness of kinesio taping are currently unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis's goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of kinesio taping for ACL reconstruction and its impact on clinical outcomes. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science was done to discover relevant studies. Inclusion criteria included controlled or randomized clinical trials that were published in English. Changes in pain, flexion strength, and extension strength were among the outcomes of interest. RevMan 5.4 was used to extract and analyze data. Results: After satisfying the inclusion requirements, five studies were included in the systematic review. Pooled analysis showed that, in comparison to the intervention group, the control group had a statistically significant improvement in flexion strength (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI [0.01, 0.87], P=0.04). Extension strength and pain, however, did not significantly differ between the intervention and control groups (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI [-0.14, 0.66], P=0.20; 95% CI [-0.12, 0.72], P=0.16). For flexion and extension strength, the pooled trials revealed homogeneity (P=0.33, I-square=9%; P=0.67, I-square= 0%, respectively), while heterogeneity was observed for the pain outcome (P=0.02, I-square= 75%). Conclusions: This analysis suggests limited to no benefits of kinesio taping post-ACL reconstruction. While the control group surprisingly showed better improvement in flexion strength, no significant differences were found in extension strength and pain. Further rigorous trials are needed to confirm its utility in rehabilitation.