Kinesio Taping Reduces Cold-Induced Pain in Young Healthy Individuals Independent of the Applied Tension on the Tape

Introduction: Kinesio Taping (KT) is a relatively new method, which has been gaining importance over the past 10 years because of the significant exposure in international sporting events, such as the Olympic games. Although it is widely used by health professionals during treatment, there are few studies that provide information to justify the use of this technique and the ways in which it is applied for the treatment or prevention of any musculoskeletal affliction that causes pain. Objective: Evaluate the effect of kinesio taping on cold-induced pain in young healthy individuals. Methodology: 85 subjects aged 18 to 38 were selected, divided into a control group (CG: 41) and experimental group (EG: 44). The protocol for induction of pain by cold was done with cold water (0oC – 2oC), with immersion of the non-dominant hand. The variables analyzed were the pain threshold (PT), total time of immersion (TTI) and the pain intensity according to the visual analogue scale (VAS). Kinesio taping was then applied in an "I" shape, starting from the distal third of the forearm until the end of the third metacarpal bone; in the CG, KT was applied without putting tension on the tape; in the EG, KT was tensioned at 25% for the application. The volunteers were instructed to keep the KT applied for 24 hours. After this period, the subjects returned to the place of evaluation, where the KT was removed and the pain induction by cold protocol was once again performed. Results: In the CG, 17 individuals were male and 24 female, with a mean age of 20.07 ±3.11. In the EG, 21 individuals were male and 23 female, with a mean age of 20.06 ±1.88. There was a significant increase in the variables PT and TTI, in addition to a decrease in the pain intensity according to VAS for both the CG and the EG, without a significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: KT was able to reduce pain perception induced by the cold, but there was no difference between the experimental and control groups.