Effect of Kinesiotape versus Myofascial Release on Postnatal Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Mahmoud AM Ahmed; Mohamed AM Awad; Afaf MM Botla; Mohammed F Abo-Elenien; Abeer AA Mansour

doi:10.15391/prrht.2025-10(6).01

Authors

Mahmoud AM Ahmed New Cairo Police Hospital, Medical Services Sector, Ministry Of Interior, Cairo, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0311-2947
Mohamed AM Awad Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza District, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5841-9210
Afaf MM Botla Department of Physical Therapy for Women's Health, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza District, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4958-2454
Mohammed F Abo-Elenien Om Elmasryeen General Hospital, Giza District, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4791-3525
Abeer AA Mansour Faculty of Physical Therapy, Deraya University, Minia, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7969-9924

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15391/prrht.2025-10(6).01

Keywords:

Kinesio tape, myofascial release, postnatal period, low back pain

Abstract

Purpose. Low back pain (LBP) represents a common worldwide condition that often impacts postpartum women and leads to several adverse health consequences, such as trouble walking, working, sleeping, and regulating mood. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the impact of kinesio tape (KT) versus myofascial release (MFR) on postnatal LBP.

Material & Methods. Sixty women suffering from postpartum LBP participated in this trial. They were aged between 20 and 35 years, had a body mass index below 30 kg/m2, and were 6-8 weeks postpartum. Participants were randomly assigned to two equal groups, each comprising 30 women. Group A received KT treatment three times a week for four weeks, while Group B underwent 25-minute MFR sessions three times a week for four weeks. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations were conducted for both groups, measuring pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and assessing lumbar flexion, extension, and lateral flexion range of motion (ROM).

Results. Both groups indicated statistically significant improvements (P<0.01) in LBP intensity and lumbar ROM in all directions post-treatment. Between-group comparisons post-intervention showed that Group A demonstrated statistically significant superiority (P<0.01) in LBP reduction and lumbar ROM improvement in all directions compared to Group B.

Conclusions. The study demonstrated that both kinesiotaping and myofascial release are effective, non-pharmacological interventions for reducing pain and improving lumbar range of motion in women suffering from postnatal low back pain. However, the significantly superior outcomes achieved with kinesiotaping across all measured variables suggest it is a more potent modality for producing immediate improvements in this specific population.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06640543

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