Abstract
Dear Editor,
We would like to thank for the opportunity to respond letter to the editor entitled: “Why apply kinesio taping only to the bilateral erector spinae muscles in chronic non-specific low back pain? [1]” This letter refers to our article entitled: “Medium term effects of kinesio taping in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial” [2].
Our research group conducted a series of clinical trials on the efficacy of Kinesio taping in patients with low back pain (LBP) [2, 3, 4, 5]. We also conducted two systematic reviews on the use of Kinesio taping for patients with musculoskeletal conditions [6] as well as in patients with LBP [7]. Our paper published in Physiotherapy is related to the 6-month follow up trial that was published earlier [4]. We have not only investigated the isolated effects of KT, but also in addition of high-quality, guidelines-endorsed physiotherapy interventions in patients with LBP [5, 8]. These trials found no benefits of using KT in these patients. Our trials are in line with all remaining trials published by different authors across the globe [7]. In sum, it is fair to say that patients with LBP should not be treated with KT as most (if not all) trials demonstrated no effects against placebo.
The authors of the letter to the editor suggested that new ways of using KT could add some benefits for these patients. This claim is based upon a possible biological plausibility that applying KT in different parts of the body would help patients with LBP [1]. Although this hypothesis sounds interesting, this has never been tested in a high quality randomised controlled trial. This new and untested theory does not invalidate previous existing clinical research findings in this area. Although we are very skeptical that using KT in other parts of the body could help patients with LBP, we would welcome new studies on this topic. Without adequate testing, a theory is just a theory. Basic principles of evidence-based practice of only using interventions that were adequately tested in high-quality randomised controlled trials must be used until this theory is not tested.