Mid- and Long-Term Effect of Kinesio Taping on Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction: A Randomised- Controlled Trial

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the mid- and long-term effects of Kinesio-taping (KT) on individuals with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Methods: Thirty-three patients were randomly divided into two groups: group 1 is control; group 2 is KT group. KT treatment was applied in six sessions (one session/week) for 6 weeks. At 6 months, the visual analogue scale (VAS) values and range of motion of the jaw before and after the treatment were recorded. Results: After the treatment in both groups, a statistically significant decrease in pain VAS values of the lateral pterygoid and masseter muscles was observed at the 6th month control (p < 0.05). In the intergroup evaluation, a statistically significant difference, in favour of the study group, was noted in all clinical parameters evaluated before treatment and at week 6 after treatment (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, a statistically significant difference, in favour of the study group, in all clinical parameters evaluated except lateral pterygoids and protrusion VAS score was found at 6th months (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that KT application could be a preferred treatment option in patients with TMD, pain and movement limitation. Further investigation is needed for widespread application.