A new taping technique for shoulder impingement

Background. The aim of the present pilot study was to determine the short-term effectiveness of an original taping technique for shoulder impingement. Methods. Twenty-eight outpatients affected by chronic shoulder pain due to impingement were included in the study. Acute shoulder pain, previous shoulder surgery, traumatic lesions, recent intrarticular injection and diabetes were exclusion criteria. Twenty-two patients (62.5±10 yrs, 19 females and 3 males) completed the study. Four subsequent tapings (taping I, II, III, IV) were positioned at 3-day intervals. Patients were evaluated for resting and activity-related pain, night pain, use of pain medications and active functional range of motion (ROM) at each taping and at 15-day follow- up. Results. Resting and activity-related pain, the incidence of night pain and use of pain medications were gradually and significantly reduced from taping I to IV. Functional ROM was only slightly impaired at the first examination and remained unmodified throughout the study. The improvements were stable at follow-up. Conclusions. This taping technique appears to be a useful therapeutic tool to alleviate both resting and activity-related shoulder pain and to reduce the incidence of night pain and use of pain killing medications due to impingement. The benefits obtained through the application of 4 subsequent tapings were maintained at 15-day follow-up.