Effectiveness of kinesio taping on postoperative morbidity after impacted mandibular third molar surgery: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study

The effect of kinesiotaping on edema: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Treatment for edema involves multiple approaches, with Kinesiotaping having recently emerged as an option for edema reduction.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically summarize current evidence on the effects of Kinesiotaping on edema reduction on any type of edema.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed including randomized clinical trials that compared the effects of Kinesiotaping to any other intervention or no intervention on edema. Screening, assessment of methodological quality (PEDro scale) of studies, and confidence of evidence (GRADE) were analyzed by two independent reviewers. A quantitative summary is presented through meta-analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 3750 studies were identified, of which 70 were included in this review, and were organized by body region (face, upper limbs and lower limbs) and by treatment time (short and long term). It was observed that Kinesiotaping was superior to comparison groups in the short-term for face edema (Standardized mean difference [SMD] -1.07; 95%CI -1.48 to -0.65) and lower limbs (SMD -0.55; 95%CI -1.06 to -0.05). Also, Kinesiotaping was superior to comparison group in the long-term for lower limbs (SMD -0.72; 95%CI -1.25 to -0.18). Kinesiotaping was not superior to the comparison groups for upper limbs in both the short (SMD -0.05; 95%CI -0.89 to 0.80) and long-term (SMD -0.04; 95%CI -0.31 to 0.24) protocols.

CONCLUSION

Kinesiotaping seems to be an effective intervention to reduce acute edema around the face and potentially in the lower limbs in both short and long-term protocols, although the quality of evidence is very low. However, these positive results were not observed for the upper limbs.

Edema and Trismus Assessment After Applying Kinesiotape With the Web Strip Technique Compared With Cryotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Extraction of impacted third molars is one of the most common oral surgeries performed in the dental clinic, which is often accompanied by many complications such as edema and trismus. Many methods have been used to alleviate these complications, such as drugs or physical therapy. Kinesiotape (KT) has recently spread as a popular physical method for eliminating complications after surgical extraction of lower third molars after its long-term use in sports medicine and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. The current study aimed to study the effect of using KT (Kinesio® Holding Corporation, Albuquerque, NM, USA) on both edema and trismus after impacted third molar extraction.

METHODOLOGY

This study was designed as a randomized controlled clinical trial using the split-mouth technique and included 25 patients with radiographically symmetrical lower third molars from patients. All surgical extractions were performed by a single surgeon under sterile conditions according to the standard surgical protocol after that one group applied KT and the other group applied cryotherapy. Edema and trismus were measured in the first five days. Data was collected and analyzed by SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

RESULTS

The mean change in the total linear facial measurements in the experimental group (Kinesio Group) was 12.32 mm three days after surgery, and then this value decreased to 6.80 mm, while the average increase in the control group (Cryo Group) was 17.00 mm after three days, then the value decreased to 9.68 mm five days after surgery. Regarding the changes in the amount of maximum mouth opening after surgery, the results were similar between the Kinesio Group and the Cryo Group, as there were no significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that KT was superior to cryotherapy when studying edema. The current study also concluded that the mouth opening was similar between the two study groups.

Complementary and alternative therapies for managing postoperative pain after lower third molar surgery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of complementary and alternative treatments on postoperative pain following lower third molar surgeries.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of Electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE via PubMed, and Cochrane Library) and grey literature was conducted up until May 2022. Randomized clinical trials investigating the effect of acupuncture, ozone therapy, laser (LLLT), drainage tube, kinesio-taping, ice therapy, and compressions on pain after LTM surgeries were included. The estimated mean differences (MD) for alternative therapies were pooled using the frequentist approach to random-model network meta-analysis NMA.

RESULTS

Eighty-two papers were included in the qualitative analysis; 33 of them were included in the quantitative analyzes. NMA revealed that drainage tube and kinesio-taping were superior in controlling pain 24-hours postoperatively than no-treatment. At 48-hours follow-up, kinesio-taping and LLLT more effective than placebo and drainage tube; and kinesio-taping and LLLT were superior to no treatment. At 72 h postoperatively, ozone therapy was superior to placebo; and drainage tube, kinesio-taping, and LLLT were better than no treatment. At 7-days follow-up, ozone and LLLT were superior to placebo; and LLLT and kinesio-taping were superior to no treatment. The SUCRA-ranking placed drainage tube as top-ranking intervention at 48-hours (98.2%) and 72-hours (96%) follow-ups, and ozone (83.5%) at 7-days follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The study findings suggest that these alternative and complementary therapies may be useful in reducing postoperative pain after LTM surgeries, and may offer advantages when combined to traditional pain management methods.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Non-pharmacological therapies are gaining popularity among healthcare professionals and patients. This study found that some of these therapies, specifically kinesio-taping and drainage tube were effective in controlling postoperative pain after third molar surgeries. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, as they highlight the potential benefits of incorporating these therapies into postoperative pain management plans.

Effectiveness of Elastic Therapeutic Tape in Reducing Edema, Pain and Trismus following Surgery for Facial Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Facial fractures cause postoperative morbidity, including edema, pain, and trismus. Elastic therapeutic tapes are used for optimizing recovery. Background: The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of elastic tape Kinesio taping (KT) in reducing postoperative morbidity in facial fractures surgeries. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Searches were conducted in the Cochrane, Medline, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases using a pre-established search strategy. Results: A total of 811 studies were retrieved after the duplicates were removed, and only randomized clinical trials were included. Eight trials, involving 319 participants, were deemed eligible. One study solely investigated the effect on edema, while the others analyzed at least two of the variables of interest. Results from two RCTs, where qualitative analysis was applicable, suggest a potential reduction in edema in the KT group compared to the control group on the second (RR -0.55, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.22; p = 0.01; I2 = 0%) and third postoperative days (RR -0.71, 95% CI -1.01 to -0.40; p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: KT is effective in controlling postoperative edema following surgery for facial fractures. However, the effects on pain and trismus should be explored further in studies with standardized methods.

Efficacy of Kinesio taping in post operative sequalae after surgical removal of mandibular third molars: a split mouth randomized control study

BACKGROUND

The surgical removal of impacted lower third molars produces a significant degree of trauma to the soft tissue and bony structures of the oral cavity, which can initiate considerable inflammatory reaction. Consequently, patient experiences pain, swelling, hemorrhage, nerve paraesthesia, limited mouth opening etc. The kinesiologic tape (KT) can help with blood and lymphatic circulation and has shown acceptable outcomes in reducing pain and in managing post-operative muscle spasm.

METHODOLOGY

The study was aimed to compare the effects of kinesiologic tape on post operative pain, swelling and trismus following surgical removal of mandibular third molar when compared to control group. 15 patients with bilaterally impacted mandibular third molar were included in the split mouth study. One side was randomly assigned as Group A where patient's face was subjected to Kinesio tape application post extraction. The other was Group B where Kinesio tape was not applied. After extraction each patient was evaluated in terms of post op pain, swelling and trismus in post-op day 1,2 and 7th.

RESULTS

The pain was found to be significantly less (p = 0.042) in group A when compared to group B on the first day. The mean pain was 5.07 in KT group and 6.20 in No KT group on day 2nd. Post OP Swelling was statistically significantly less (p < 0.01) in Group A on 2nd & 3rd day. The postoperative mouth opening was more from the 2nd day in group A with mean of 26.07 mm and 20.33 mm in group B (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The kinesiologic taping originates from sports medicine, but can also used therapeutically for reducing post operative sequelae as demonstrated in our study. Kinesiologic tape (KT) enables patients to have a comfortable time post-operatively and helps to regain better quality of life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered in Clinical Trial Registry-India. Registration number-CTRI/2021/05/033359, registration date - 04/05/2021.

Kinesio Taping as an Adjunct Therapy in Postoperative Care after Extraction of Impacted Third Lower Molars—A Randomized Pilot Study

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly administered according to protocol for the management of complications such as pain, swelling, and trismus following the removal of the third impacted lower molar; however, treatment with NSAIDs may result in multiple adverse effects. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of kinesio taping (KT) and the use of NSAIDs in the treatment of postoperative complications after extraction of an impacted third lower molar. Material and methods: The study comprised a group of 30 patients, randomly divided into the test group (with KT, n = 15) or the control group (without KT, n = 15). The surgery was performed according to standard procedures. In the test group, KT was applied immediately after surgery. Pain, swelling, and trismus were assessed. The VAS scale was used to assess pain. Swelling was measured based on six reference points on the face using a tailor’s meter, and a caliper was used to measure the distance between the upper and lower medial incisors of the upper and lower teeth to determine the extent of trismus. Measurements were performed three times: on the day of the surgery, on the second day following the surgery, and on the 7th day after the surgery. Results: Pain intensity (day of procedures), maximum mouth opening (on the seventh day after the surgery), and the use of NSAIDs (day of surgery) were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the test group than in the control group. Conclusions: Kinesio taping in addition to NSAIDs was found to be more effective than NSAIDs alone in increasing the degree of jaw opening, decreasing pain intensity, and reducing the non-steroid anti-inflammatory dosage in patients after impacted mandibular wisdom teeth surgery.

Effects of Kinesio tape on pain and edema following surgical extraction of the third molar: A meta-analysis and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Kinesio tape (KT) has been in extensive use for the rehabilitation of injuries related to sports, however, only a handful of studies have focused on the efficacy of KT following extraction of a third molar tooth.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to assess whether pain and edema following surgical extraction of the third molar can be reduced by KT.

METHOD

This research was carried out following the principles of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang Data databases were searched for trials published from their inception to eighth October 2021. They included published randomized controlled trials in Chinese or English languages. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for the analysis of continuous data. The heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistics. Then, Revman 5.4 software was employed for performing the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eight studies comprising 453 participants in total were included. In comparison to the no kinesio tape group, KT did not furnish improved results on mouth opening ([MD = 0.36, 95% CI (-0.67, 1.40), p= 0.49]), and swelling ([MD =-1.24, 95% CI (-3.43, 0.95), p= 0.79]). However, KT manifested a reduction in operation time ([MD =-1.00, 95% CI (-1.93, -0.07), P= 0.04]), edema ([MD =-0.53, 95% CI (-0.88, -0.19), P= 0.003]), and pain intensity ([MD =-1.29, 95% CI (-1.86, -0.73), P< 0.00001]), favouring the kinesio tape group. Overall, the size of the effect was found in the small to moderate range.

CONCLUSION

Despite the fact that KT can reduce pain and has been shown to have positive effects in several studies, there is no convincing evidence that it can reduce the swelling after surgical extraction of the third molar.

Does kinesio taping reduce pain, swelling, and trismus after mandibular third molar surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study is to provide an evidence-based conclusion regarding the effectiveness of kinesio taping (KT) in reducing postsurgical discomforts after mandibular third molar surgery and critically appraise the available literature. Eligible clinical trials evaluating patients older than 18 years who were treated with any type of KT compared to no taping in which pain, swelling, or trismus scores were reported were included. An electronic literature search was carried out in the following databases to identify relevant papers up to May 30, 2021: Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0). The effect sizes were calculated using mean difference (MD) and standardized mean difference (SMD). The heterogeneity analysis was conducted using (I²) statistic at alpha = 0.10 (PROSPERO; CRD42021252670). Nine randomized clinical trials with 444 participants were included in the qualitative analysis and eight in the quantitative analysis. The results of the meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction in pain and swelling scores before the 7th postoperative day. On the 7th postoperative day, no significant difference was observed between KT and control groups in terms of pain and swelling. Additionally, KT led to an increase in patients' maximum mouth opening of more than 3 mm in postoperative intervals. KT is effective in reducing postoperative pain within the first 48 h after surgery and improving mouth opening during all postoperative intervals with moderate to high certainty of evidence.

Can Kinesio taping improve discomfort after mandibular third molar surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether Kinesio taping (KT) can improve patient discomfort after mandibular third molar surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the PICO strategy. We searched 4 databases for related articles. All controlled trials or randomized controlled trials that evaluated the application of KT after mandibular third molar surgery were included. Screening and article selection were carried out by two independent reviewers. The main evaluation indicators were facial swelling, pain, and trismus. All statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.3 software.

RESULT

This analysis included 8 articles. The combined results showed that compared with the control group, the postoperative application of KT significantly reduced pain in the early (early stage mean difference (MD), - 2.00; 95% confidence interval (CI), - 2.40 to - 1.60; P < 0.00001) and late (late stage MD, - 1.18; 95% CI, - 2.26 to - 0.11; P = 0.03) postoperative periods and, thus, reduced the intake of painkillers. KT also reduced facial swelling in the early and late postoperative periods (early stage standardized mean difference (SMD), - 1.34; 95% CI, - 1.99 to - 0.68; P < 0.0001; late stage SMD, - 0.31; 95% CI, - 0.51 to - 0.11; P = 0.002). In addition, the postoperative application of KT improved restricted mouth opening in the early and late postoperative periods (early stage MD, - 5.03 mm; 95% CI, - 6.32 to - 3.74 mm; P < 0.00001; late stage MD, - 3.42 mm; 95% CI, - 5.31 to - 1.52 mm; P = 0.0004).

CONCLUSION

KT can significantly reduce postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus after impacted mandibular tooth extraction. Additional high-quality and rigorously designed randomized controlled trials should be conducted to verify these conclusions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

KT is a low-cost, simple, effective nondrug therapy for the postoperative management of mandibular third molar extraction and has broad prospects for clinical application.

Quality of Life of Patients after Kinesio Tape Applications Following Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Surgeries

Today, extraction of the impacted third molar is the most common procedure performed in oral surgery departments. One of the methods currently investigated—in terms reducing the severity of non-infectious complications and decreasing Quality of Life following third molar surgeries—is Kinesio Taping (KT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of Kinesio Tape application on Quality of Life. A total of 100 asymptomatic patients with impacted third lower molar were included. The study participants were randomly divided into two groups: a study group with the application of KT (n = 50) and a control group (without KT) (n = 50). Removal of the impacted third lower molar was performed in each patient in a standardized fashion. For assessment of Quality of Life, the modified University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QoL v4) was used. Patients with Kinesio Tape application scored higher in all domains. Statistically significant differences between the two groups were found in the following domains: “Activity”, “Mood”, “Health-related QoL during the past 7 days” and “Overall QoL during the past 7 days”. There were no significant differences in significant problems and important issues between groups. Kinesio Taping has a significant impact on Quality of Life after impacted third molar removal. It should be considered as one of the noninvasive methods to reduce postoperative non-infectious complications.

The Impact of Using Kinesio Tape on Non-Infectious Complications after Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Surgery

Non-infectious complications such as post-extraction pain, trismus, and swelling are extremely common after impacted wisdom tooth removal. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of using kinesio tape on the level of the postoperative swelling of soft tissues, trismus, and pain in patients undergoing the surgical extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar. One hundred patients undergoing the surgical extraction of a lower wisdom tooth were randomly divided into two groups: a study group with kinesio taping (KT) (n = 50) and a control group without kinesio taping (NKT) (n = 50). The surgical procedure was performed according to the same repeatable scheme. Kinesio tape was applied immediately after surgery in the KT group. In both groups, measurements of swelling, trismus, and pain were performed before the surgery and on the third and seventh postprocedural days. Kinesio tape had a significant effect on the decrease in facial swelling on the third day after surgery and a decrease in trismus and pain severity levels on the third and seventh days after surgery. The kinesio tape method is non-invasive, continuously active throughout the entire application period, and requires no additional patient appointments. KT application is an effective method for reducing postoperative edema, pain, and trismus after impacted mandibular wisdom teeth surgery.

Kinesiology Taping as an Innovative Measure against Post-Operative Complications after Third Molar Extraction-Systematic Review

There are many randomized clinical trials suggesting a positive effect of kinesiotaping on postoperative swelling. In dentistry, however, the use of kinesiotaping still seems to be innovative, since not many articles on kinesiotaping within the craniofacial area have been published. This study aimed to systematically review and synthesize available controlled trials examining the use of kinesiotaping to reduce morbidity after third molar extraction. Literature searches for free text and MeSH terms were performed using five search engines, and used to find studies which focused on kinesiotaping as a form of rehabilitation after third molar extraction. The keywords used in the search were: “((“molar, third”[MeSH Terms] OR (“molar”[All Fields] AND “third”[All Fields]) OR “third molar”[All Fields] OR (“third”[All Fields] AND “molar”[All Fields])) AND extraction [All Fields]) AND “kinesiology”[All Fields]”. For the assessment of the risk of bias, the Jadad and Maastricht scales were applied. The search strategy identified 317 potential articles. After analysis, 10 papers were included in the final evaluation. Despite the fact that most of the included articles adhered to methodological standards, the fact that there are only a few of them points to a further need for scientific development of physiotherapy in this regard. Kinesiology taping is useful against post-operative morbidity of the third molar extraction site. The present studies show a low level of the risk of bias, but they are limited in number; therefore, it seems that more research is needed.