Effects of Functional Fascial Taping on pain and function in patients with non-specific low back pain: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the short-term and medium-term effect of Functional Fascial Taping to placebo taping on pain and function in people with non-specific low back pain.

DESIGN

A pilot randomized controlled trial with a 2-week intervention, and 2-, 6- and 12-week follow-up.

SETTING

Individuals with non-specific low back pain recruited from local communities.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-three participants with non-specific low back pain for more than 6 weeks were randomized into either Functional Fascial Taping group (n = 21) or placebo group (n = 22).

INTERVENTIONS

The intervention group was treated with Functional Fascial Taping while the control group was treated with placebo taping. Both groups received four treatments over 2 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Worst and average pain and function were assessed at baseline, after the 2-week intervention, and at 6 and 12 weeks follow-up.

RESULTS

The Functional Fascial Taping group demonstrated significantly greater reduction in worst pain compared to placebo group after the 2-week intervention (P = 0.02, effect size = 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.11-1.34). A higher proportion of participants in Functional Fascial Taping group attained the minimal clinically important difference in worst pain (P = 0.007) and function (P = 0.007) than those in placebo group after the 2-week intervention. There were no significant differences in either group's disability rating or clinically important difference in average pain at any time.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional Fascial Taping reduced worst pain in patients with non-acute non-specific low back pain during the treatment phase. No medium-term differences in pain or function were observed.