Effect of weight-bearing wrist movement with carpal-stabilizing taping on pain and range of motion in subjects with dorsal wrist pain: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of hand therapy Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 25 - 33
• Main Authors: Kim, Geun-Su, Weon, Jong-Hyuck, Kim, Moon-Hwan, Koh, Eun-Kyung, Jung, Do-Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2020; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Arthralgia - diagnosis; Arthralgia - etiology; Arthralgia - prevention & control; Athletic Tape; Athletic taping; Bones; Carpal bones; Carpal Joints - physiopathology; Carpal-stabilizing taping; Dorsal wrist pain; Female; Humans; Intervention; Joint and ligament injuries; Joint mobilization; Male; Movement; Pain; Pain Measurement; Physical therapy; Randomization; Range of motion; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Taping; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonic imaging; Weight; Weight-Bearing - physiology; Wrist; Wrist extension range of motion; Wrist Joint - physiopathology; Young Adult; Germany; Dorsal wrist pain; Wrist extension range of motion; Carpal bones; Joint mobilization; Carpal-stabilizing taping
• ISSN: 0894-1130; 1545-004X; 1545-004X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jht.2019.02.001

Randomized control trial. During weight-bearing wrist movement, potential stabilizing forces caused by carpal stabilizing taping (CST) may restrict movement of the carpal bones, allowing greater wrist joint extension. The purpose of study was to investigate the effect of CST during weight-bearing wrist movement on pain intensity and range of motion (ROM) of wrist extension in subjects with dorsal wrist pain. Thirty participants with dorsal wrist pain when weight bearing through the hand were randomly allocated into 2 groups: (1) a CST group using rigid tape and (2) placebo taping (PT) group using elastic tape. Subjects performed weight-bearing wrist movements with CST or PT in 6 sessions for 1 week. Active and passive ROM (AROM and PROM), and the visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. The AROM and PROM of wrist extension increased significantly in both groups compared with preintervention values (P < .01). Comparing the PT and CST groups, the differences between preintervention and postintervention AROM (mean difference [MD] = +8.6°) and PROM (MD = +6.8°) were significantly greater in the CST group than in the PT group (P < .01). The CST group also showed greater improvement in VAS compared with the PT group (MD = −18 mm) (P < .01). We recommend CST during weight-bearing wrist movement as an effective intervention for both increasing wrist extension ROM and decreasing pain in patients with dorsal wrist pain during weight bearing through the hand. •We investigated the effect of carpal stabilizing taping (CST) on dorsal wrist pain.•The CST during weight-bearing wrist movement increased wrist ROM and reduced pain.•In the clinic, CST is recommended in patients with dorsal wrist pain.