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Comparison of Acute Effects of Myofascial Release and Kinesio Taping® in Dysmenorrhea

Myofascial Release Versus Kinesio Taping: Which is More Effective for Dysmenorrhea Relief

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06925087
Acronym
Dysmenorrhea
Enrollment
45
Registered
2025-04-13
Start date
2022-02-06
Completion date
2025-02-20
Last updated
2025-04-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Kinesio Taping, Myofascial Release Technique, Pain, Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD)

Keywords

Kinesio Taping, Menstruation, Primary dysmenorrhea, Myofascial release technique, Physiotherapy

Brief summary

Dysmenorrhea is a physiological condition and one of the most common issues experienced during menstruation. This study aims to compare the acute effects of Myofascial Release Technique (MRT) and Kinesio Taping® (KT) on pain severity, fatigue, and menstrual symptom severity in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea (PD).

Detailed description

A total of 45 individuals diagnosed with PD will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: MRT, KT, or control. Pain severity and fatigue will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), while menstrual symptom severity will be assessed with the Menstrual Symptom Scale, both prior to and following the interventions. The MRT group will be received MRT for three consecutive days starting from the onset of menstruation, whereas the KT group will be applied KT application for a duration of 72 hours. The control group did not receive any form of intervention.

Interventions

OTHERMyofascial Release Technique

During the application of Myofascial Release Technique (MRT), the fingers or hand will be first placed on the treatment area. Pressure will be applied to the soft tissue until the restricted layer was felt, and then the fascia was moved along the surface of the underlying layers while maintaining contact with the deeper layers. Tension will be applied for approximately 60-90 seconds, and if a release will not felt, the duration will extended until the release occurred. MRT will be performed with dry hands, without the use of any intermediary substances, and will be applied in both supine and prone positions. In the treatment program, anterolateral release techniques (targeting fascia superficialis, fascia transversalis, and fascia extraperitonealis) will be applied in the supine position, while posterior release techniques (targeting fascia thoracolumbalis and erector spinae) will be applied in the prone position.

Two different techniques will be used in the Kinesio Taping application. First, four I-shaped Kinesio tapes (Kinesio Tex® Gold), each 5 cm wide and 0.5 mm thick, will be applied in a star-shaped pattern using the space correction technique with 25-50% tension at the S2-S4 level (sacral region) while the participant will in a seated position. Additionally, to direct the uterus into retroversion during menstruation, a 15 cm long I-shaped tape will be applied to the suprapubic region using the ligament correction technique with 100% tension.

Sponsors

Cyprus International University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

All treatments will be performed by the same physiotherapist, and assessments will be conducted twice: pre-treatment and post-treatment. Post-treatment assessments will be performed after the third MRT session for Group 1 and 72 hours after the KT application for Group 2. This will be a single-blind study, with all assessments carried out by a physiotherapist blinded to the treatment groups.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Daignosed with primary dysmenorrhea * Regular menstruation in the past six months * Experience menstrual pain ranging between 40-100 mm on the Visual Analog Scale

Exclusion criteria

* Diagnosis of secondary dysmenorrhea * A menstrual cycle length of less than 21 days or more than 35 days * A history of childbirth or pregnancy * Use of pharmacological treatments for menstrual pain * A history of pelvic pathology or pelvic surgery * The presence of neurological or systemic diseases

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain Severity3 monthsA 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), represented as a straight line with one end marked as 0 (no pain) and the other end as 10 (unbearable pain), will be used to measure pain severity. Participants will be asked to mark the point on the line that corresponded to the level of pain they will be experiencing during the evaluation. The marked point will be then measured using a ruler, and the numerical value of the pain severity will be recorded. Higher results indicate worse pain intensity.
Fatigue3 monthsA 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with one end marked as 0 (no fatigue) and the other end as 10 (unbearable fatigue), will be used to evaluate the severity of fatigue experienced on the most intense day of menstruation. Participants will be asked to mark the point on the VAS that corresponded to the level of fatigue they will be felt. The marked point will then measured using a ruler, and the numerical value will be recorded. Higher results indicate worse pain intensity.
Menstrual Symptoms3 monthsThe Menstrual Symptom Scale, developed by Chesney and Tatso, will be used to evaluate the severity of menstrual symptoms. This scale consists of 22 items, each with five response options, and includes three subdimensions. The first 13 items belong to the Negative Effects/Somatic Complaints subdimension, items 14 to 19 fall under the Menstrual Pain Symptoms subdimension, and the last three items are part of the Coping Methods subdimension. The responses will be rated on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (always). A higher total score indicates greater severity of menstrual symptoms.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026