The Therapeutic Role of Kinesio Taping in Primary Dysmenorrhea

Purpose: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common causes of disability in women's health worldwide. It affects women's daily activities and negatively affects their social life. It increases healthcare costs and constitutes a significant burden for both women and society. Therefore, interventions to improve dysmenorrhea are needed. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of kinesio taping (KT) intervention on pain, muscle strength, functional disability, physical activity level, and quality of life. Methods: Participants with primary dysmenorrhea were divided into kinesio taping (KT) and control (C) groups. The KT group underwent consecutive taping for 12 days starting from the premenstrual week. Trunk muscle strength evaluation, visual analogue scale (VAS), the pressure pain threshold, menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ), SF-36 quality of life scale, Oswestry disability index (ODI), international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) were used as outcome measures.

Dysmenorrhea is a prevalent and commonly experienced menstrual issue, characterized by pain that typically starts a day prior to menstruation and persists for 2-3 days, adversely impacting the individual's quality of life and hindering their ability to work and study . Dysmenorrhea can be categorized into two main types: primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to the occurrence of menstrual pain without any identifiable underlying anatomical or physiological abnormalities. In contrast, secondary dysmenorrhea is associated with an identifiable anatomical or physiological condition that contributes to the menstrual discomfort. Prior research has found the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among adolescent girls to be as high as 90.0%, while studies within the local context have reported a range of 34.0% to 89.6% . Given the high prevalence of dysmenorrhea, effective management strategies are crucial. Physiotherapy modalities are also among the non-pharmacological approaches frequently used to manage dysmenorrhea. These interventions include electrotherapy, massage, and taping techniques. The impact of kinesio taping on primary dysmenorrhea has been a subject of research. The Kinesio tape, which shares characteristics similar to human skin and is also breathable, smooth, hypoallergenic, able to remain affixed to the target tissue for 3-5 days, and does not impede movement . It is commonly used to reduce pain, modulate muscle function, influence joint positioning, enhance blood flow, and augment proprioceptive feedback . In a comparative analysis of the impacts of kinesio taping versus connective tissue massage interventions on pain and quality of life in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea, it is observed that despite a notable improvement in pain intensity and generally favorable outcomes associated with kinesio taping administered over three menstrual cycles, connective tissue massage demonstrates a more pronounced improvement. The levels of anxiety experienced by participants and their perceptions regarding menstruation were not influenced . In another study in premenstrual syndrome, the efficacy of kinesio taping and thermal application was analyzed by employing the Menstrual Distress Complaint List.The results demonstrated a significant improvement in symptomatic alleviation when these two methods were utilized together. Kinesio taping was recommended for use in premenstrual syndrome as an easy and non pharmacological application. In a separate study comparing the effects of kinesio taping and spiral taping on menstrual pain and premenstrual syndrome, participants underwent the intervention six times, specifically 14 days prior to the beginning of their menstrual cycle. The results revealed that kinesio taping was effective in menstrual pain, while spiral taping was effective in both menstrual pain and premenstrual syndrome. A comprehensive review of the current literature reveals a notable deficiency of empirical research exploring the effects of kinesio taping on primary dysmenorrhea, both within national boundaries and on an international scale. The most frequently evaluated parameters in these studies are pain intensity and menstrual complaint list, however, these studies fail to examine the influence of dysmenorrhea on functional status. Considering this identified gap, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of Kinesio tape on dysmenorrhea by conducting supplementary assessments, including abdominal and lumbar muscle strength, the degree of functional disability, levels of physical activity, and quality of life metrics.