Kinesio Taping as an alternative therapy for limited mandibular mobility with pain in female patients with temporomandibular disorders: A randomized controlled trial

Background. Kinesio Taping (KT) is a non-invasive therapy commonly used in physiotherapy (PT). However, the available data on its effectiveness in patients with symptomatic temporomandibular disorders (TMD) remains scarce and contradictory. Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate the analgesic and myorelaxant effects of KT in TMD patients with limited mandibular mobility. Material and methods. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted among female patients aged 20-45 years with Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) group Ib, using a parallel group design and equal randomization (1:1). All patients underwent surface electromyography (sEMG) of the masseter muscle (MAS), pain intensity was assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and temporomandibular joint mobility was measured before and after 6 and 12 days of treatment. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) questionnaire was administered on the first and last days of treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Mauchly's sphericity test determined changes over time and between groups for variables with a normal distribution. Bonferroni's correction was used for post hoc multiple comparisons. Variables with a non-normal distribution were analyzed using the nparLD package and multiple comparison post hoc test, while correlations were assessed using Spearman's coefficient. Results. Each treatment had a significant effect on the bioelectrical sEMG parameters ( p = 0.05). Kinesio Taping had a superior analgesic effect compared to the controls ( p < 0.001). The combination of KT with therapeutic exercise (TE) proved to be a more effective therapy for improving the maximal mouth opening (MMO) and reducing perceived stress than monotherapy ( p < 0.001). Minimally significant clinical differences were observed for sEMG, MMO and PSS-10 parameters after both therapies. Conclusions. Kinesio Taping combined with TE may be considered an effective complementary noninvasive treatment modality for TMD, either as a stand-alone or as part of the therapeutic process in patients experiencing pain and limited mandibular ROM. Additionally, the use of KT and TE was found to have a beneficial effect on perceived stress levels.