• Patrícia do Carmo Silva Parreira, Luciola da Cunha Menezes Costa, Ricardo Takahashi, Luiz Carlos Hespanhol Junior, Tatiane Motta Silva, Maurício Antônio da Luz Junior, and Leonardo Oliveira Pena Costa.
• Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
• J Physiother. 2013 Mar 1;59(1):52; discussion 52.

IntroductionChronic low back pain is a common condition. A new intervention that is popular in sports has been used in patients with low back pain. This technique is based on the use of elastic tapes that are fixed on the skin of patients using different tensions and is named Kinesio Taping Method. Although this intervention has been widely used, to date the evidence of its effectiveness is lacking.Research QuestionIs the application of the Kinesio Taping Method according to the treatment manual (with convolutions in neutral position) more efficacious than a simple application without convolutions in patients with chronic low back pain?DesignTwo-arm randomised controlled trial with a blinded assessor.Participants And Setting148 patients with chronic low back pain from two outpatient physiotherapy clinics in Brazil.Intervention8 sessions of Kinesio Taping according to the Kinesio Taping Method treatment manual (ie, 10-15% tension with the treated muscles in stretching position and with convolutions in neutral).Control8 sessions of Kinesio Taping having no convolutions in neutral (0% tension) with the treated muscles in resting position.MeasurementsClinical outcomes (pain intensity, disability and global impression of recovery) will be obtained in assessments that will be performed at 4 weeks and 3 months after randomisation.AnalysisThe effects of the intervention will be calculated through linear mixed models following intention-to-treat principles.DiscussionThis is the largest study aimed to investigate the hypothesised mechanism behind the Kinesio Taping application in patients with chronic low back pain. The results of this study will contribute to a better understanding about the mechanisms of action of this widely applied therapeutic modality.Trial RegistrationBrazilian Registry of Clinical Trials.Registration NumberRBR-7ggfkv. PROSPECTIVE REGISTRATION: Yes. FUNDED BY: Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil. APPROVAL NUMBER: FAPESP number 2011/12926-0; CNPq number 470652/2011-0. ANTICIPATED COMPLETION: February 2013. CORRESPONDENCE: Leonardo Oliveira Pena Costa, Rua Cesário Galeno 448, Tatuapé, São Paulo/SP, Brazil 03071-000 Email: lcos3060@gmail.com FULL PROTOCOL: Available on the eAddenda at jop.physiotherapy.asn.au.Copyright © 2013 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by .. All rights reserved.

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