Effectiveness of kinesiotaping in pregnant women with sacroiliac joint pain: A randomised controlled study

Aim Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction is an especially common cause of pain during pregnancy. Treatment options during pregnancy are very limited in order to reduce pain and increase the quality of life. We aimed to determine the efficacy of kinesiotaping (KT) in the treatment of SIJ pain in pregnant women. Methods A total of 50 pregnant women with SIJ pain were included in the study. Patients were randomised into two groups as KT and sham KT groups. Women in the KT group underwent a total of 5 weeks of KT once per week; the sham KT group also underwent 5 weeks of KT applications, but without tension in the kinesiotape. Patients were assessed before and 5 weeks after the treatment with a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ) for disability and quality of life. Results The KT and sham KT groups were similar in terms of age, parity, gravidas, gestational week and body mass index. At the beginning of the study, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in their VAS, RMDQ or PGQ scores. Five weeks later, the KT group showed significant improvement in all parameters, but no significant differences were observed for the sham KT group in terms of VAS, RMDQ or PGQ. Conclusions KT treatment improved the pain levels, functioning and quality of life among pregnant women with SIJ pain.