Short-term effects of postural taping on pain and forward head posture : a randomized controlled trial

• Background: Balance Body Tape (BBT) is a recently developed taping-method with the aim to reduce pain and improve posture through change in movement behavior. However, the potential efects of a treatment with BBT are scarcely documented. Therefore, the aim with this study was to investigate the efect of a three-week Balance body tape-treatment on the intensity of perceived neck, shoulder and back pain and forward head posture.Methods: In this RCT study, subjects (n=26), who reported being university students or having a sedentary work and experiencing pain in neck, back or shoulders, were randomized to either an intervention (n=12) or control group (n=14). The intervention group received a three-week treatment with BBT, the control group received no treatment. A questionnaire regarding pain, including a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) measuring pain intensity, and a Photographic posture analysis measurement (PPAM) regarding the craniovertebral (CV) angle were assessed before and after the intervention for both groups. Wilcoxon’s signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess intra- and between group diferences respectively. The relationship between pain intensity and CV angle was assessed using Spearman’s correlation.Results: No diference in demographic and physical characteristics between the groups were noted at baseline (p>0.05). Pain intensity at baseline was 5 for the intervention group and 4 for the control group (p=0.330). At follow up, the intervention group reported a lower score (NRS=2.5, p=0.003) whereas the control group had no signifcant diference in pain intensity (NRS=3, p=0.086). No signifcant change was found in the CV angle (p=0.058) and no correlation was found between NRS and the CV angle (r=0.102, p=0.619).Conclusion: A short treatment period with BBT may, compared to no treatment, have a small reducing efect on pain intensity in neck, back and/or shoulders. However, no efect was found on forward head posture in this study.Trial registration: Registered retrospectively on 08/11/2021. NCT05111704.Trial registration page link:

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Sjukgymnastik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Physiotherapy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Balance body tape

Posture analysis

Neck pain

Ergonomics

Movement behavior

Biomedicinsk vetenskap

Biomedical Sciences

Balance body tape

Ergonomics

Movement behavior

Neck pain

Posture analysis

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