Placebo Effect of Immediate Kinesio Taping on Upper Extremity Performance in Healthy Adults

NCT07515183 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2026/09
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigates whether Kinesio Taping has immediate effects on upper extremity performance in healthy adults and whether these effects may be influenced by placebo mechanisms. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: therapeutic Kinesio Taping, sham Kinesio Taping, or no intervention. All participants complete tests of hand function, including grip strength, typing performance, reaction time, and manual dexterity, before and after a short standardized waiting period. Participants also rate their perceived performance, comfort, and overall change. The purpose of this study is to determine whether improvements in performance are due to the mechanical effects of the tape or related to sensory and expectation-based (placebo) factors.

Conditions

Upper Extremity Function; Motor Performance; Healthy Volunteers; Perceived Function

Keywords

Kinesio Taping; Placebo Effect; Upper Extremity Performance; Grip Strength; Reaction Time; Manual Dexterity; Healthy Adults; Sham-Controlled Trial; Strength

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Maximal Grip Strength

  Maximal grip strength of the dominant hand measured in kilograms using a digital hand dynamometer. The highest value from three trials is recorded.

  Baseline and immediately post-intervention (within 2-3 minutes after a 20-minute waiting period)

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Typing Performance (Corrected Words Per Minute) and Accuracy

  Baseline and immediately post-intervention

• Choice Reaction Time

  Baseline and immediately post-intervention

• Manual Dexterity (Nine-Hole Peg Test)

  Baseline and immediately post-intervention

• Perceived Performance Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

  Immediately post-intervention

• Task Ease Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

  Immediately post-intervention

Study Arms (3)

Therapeutic Kinesio Taping

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive Kinesio Taping applied to the wrist extensor muscles of the dominant upper extremity using approximately 25% therapeutic tension, following a standardized application protocol.

Device: Kinesio Taping

Sham Kinesio Taping

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants receive Kinesio Taping applied to the same anatomical region using an identical procedure but without tension, to simulate the intervention without therapeutic effect.

Device: Sham Kinesio Taping

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants do not receive any taping intervention and remain seated in a standardized position for 20 minutes before post-intervention assessments.

Interventions

Sham Kinesio Taping DEVICE

Elastic tape applied to the wrist extensor muscles of the dominant upper extremity without tension, using the same placement and procedure as the therapeutic intervention to mimic sensory and procedural aspects without intended therapeutic effect.

Sham Kinesio Taping

Kinesio Taping DEVICE

Elastic therapeutic tape applied to the wrist extensor muscles of the dominant upper extremity using approximately 25% tension according to a standardized application protocol.

Therapeutic Kinesio Taping

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Being healthy adult between 18-40 years
• No current pain or injury in the dominant upper extremity
• No history of chronic musculoskeletal conditions affecting the upper extremity
• Ability to read, understand, and provide informed consent
• Regular use of a standard keyboard and mouse, with a minimum self-reported typing frequency of ≥5 hours per week, ensuring familiarity with digital typing tasks and adequate baseline fine motor coordination.

You may not qualify if:

• Respiratory, neurological, or cardiovascular disorders
• History of surgery or fracture in the dominant upper extremity within the last six months
• Known allergy or skin sensitivity to adhesives or Kinesio Tape materials
• Current use of medications affecting physical performance or sensation
• Participation in ongoing physical therapy or rehabilitation
• Diagnosed cognitive impairment or visual deficits that could affect typing or reaction-time performance
• Engagement in high-level upper extremity sports (\>10 hours/week) that could bias grip or typing performance

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istinye University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istinye University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Application and Research Center (ISUFIZYOTEM)

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34010, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Officials

• Begüm kara Kaya, PhD

  Biruni University

  STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Abeer Mohamed Abdulla Sayed, BSc (Physiotherapy and Rehabil

CONTACT

+90 552 872 2754; 2433095052@stu.istinye.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants assigned to the taping groups are blinded to whether they receive therapeutic or sham Kinesio Taping. The sham application mimics the appearance and procedure of real taping but is applied without tension to maintain blinding. Due to the inclusion of a no-intervention control group, complete masking across all study arms is not feasible.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Graduate Student (Master's Student), Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups: therapeutic Kinesio Taping, sham Kinesio Taping, or no-intervention control. Each participant remains in their assigned group for the duration of the study. Outcome measures are assessed at baseline and immediately after a standardized 20-minute period, allowing comparison of changes between groups.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2026
• First Posted: April 7, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Last Updated: April 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)