Background: Although a number of therapeutic interventions for trigger-point inactivation have been studied, it remains controversial which intervention is better.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of the kinesio taping and dry needling methods in patients with trigger-point related myofascial pain syndrome of the upper trapezius muscle.
Methods: A total of 42 patients were randomly allocated to the kinesio taping group (n= 23) and dry needling group (n= 19). The patients were assessed for pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), cervical range of motion (CROM), and function at baseline, at short- and medium-term stages after treatment. To investigate the effects of the interventions over time, two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used.
Results: There was a significant improvement in pain intensity at rest and cervical motion, in the PPT readings (p< 0.05), in CROM (p< 0.05), and in function (p< 0.05) in both groups, with no superiority either (p> 0.05).
Conclusions: Kinesio taping may be a choice of trigger point inactivation in patients who do not want to be needled or who show contraindication(s) to treatments other than kinesio taping.
Keywords: Myofascial pain; dry needling; kinesio taping; trigger point.