Effect of Kinesio Taping After Rotator Cuff Surgery

NCT07375927 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: RCR-KT-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 52
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This prospective randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adding Kinesio Taping (KT) to a standardized postoperative rehabilitation program improves early clinical recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of an isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tear were randomized to receive either standardized rehabilitation combined with KT or standardized rehabilitation alone. Postoperative pain intensity was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included shoulder range of motion, postoperative edema, Constant-Murley Score, QuickDASH score, and postoperative complications. Participants were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3.

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Tears; Shoulder Pain; Post Operative Pain

Keywords

Rotator Cuff Tears; Kinesio Taping; Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair; Postoperative Rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain Intensity (Visual Analog Scale, VAS)

  Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate worse pain intensity.

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Forward Flexion

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

• Abduction

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

• Postoperative Edema Assessed by Relative Shoulder Circumference

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

• Shoulder Function (Constant-Murley Score)

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

• Upper Extremity Function (QuickDASH Score)

  Postoperative day 1, week 2, week 6, and month 3

Study Arms (2)

Kinesio Taping Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive standard postoperative rehabilitation following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, in addition to kinesio taping applied for three weeks during the postoperative period.

Procedure: Kinesio Taping; Procedure: Standard Postoperative Rehabilitation

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive standard postoperative rehabilitation alone following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, without the application of kinesio taping.

Procedure: Standard Postoperative Rehabilitation

Interventions

Kinesio Taping PROCEDURE

Application of kinesio taping to the operated shoulder during the postoperative period as an adjunct to standard rehabilitation.

Kinesio Taping Group

Standard Postoperative Rehabilitation PROCEDURE

Standard postoperative rehabilitation program following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Control Group; Kinesio Taping Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Individuals aged between 40 and 70 years
• Patients with clinical suspicion of rotator cuff tear on physical examination and a diagnosis established by magnetic resonance imaging, with intraoperative confirmation
• Patients with at least two positive impingement tests on physical examination (Jobe, Hawkins-Kennedy, Neer)
• Patients without a diagnosed psychiatric disorder
• Patients without a history or current diagnosis of cervical pathology
• Patients with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of 3 or higher for at least 3 months prior to surgery
• Patients able to participate regularly in postoperative follow-up for a period of one year
• Patients who agree to participate voluntarily and provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• History of shoulder dislocation
• History of fracture involving the shoulder or surrounding structures
• Inability to comply with postoperative treatment or attend regular follow-up visits
• Known skin hypersensitivity or allergy to kinesio taping
• Known rheumatologic or neurological disease
• History of previous shoulder or peri-shoulder surgery
• Presence of cervical disc pathology

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Olcay Yavuz: lead
• Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital

Istanbul, 34785, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Injuries; Shoulder Pain; Pain, Postoperative

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Rupture; Wounds and Injuries; Shoulder Injuries; Tendon Injuries; Arthralgia; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Postoperative Complications; Pathologic Processes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Due to the visible nature of the Kinesio Taping intervention, participants and outcome assessors were not blinded to group allocation. The assessors were not involved in sequence generation or allocation concealment.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Medical Doctor, Orthopedic Surgery Resident

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a kinesio taping group or a control group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 22, 2026
• First Posted: January 29, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: July 28, 2026
• Study Completion: July 30, 2026
• Last Updated: September 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)