Kinesio Taping® Plus Exercise Versus Sham Taping Plus Exercise and Exercise Alone for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Lateral epicondylitis (LE), commonly known as tennis elbow, is a frequent overuse injury of the wrist extensor tendons that leads to pain, weakness, and impaired upper-limb function. Kinesio Taping®️ (KT) (Kinesio Holding Corporation, Albuquerque, USA) has been increasingly used as an adjunct to exercise therapy, but its clinical efficacy remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of KT combined with exercise compared with sham taping plus exercise and exercise alone in patients with lateral epicondylitis. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Semantic Scholar up to October 23, 2025. The review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO; ID: (CRD420251179581)]. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing KT plus exercise against sham taping or exercise alone were included. Data were pooled using a random-effects model, and results were expressed as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Seven RCTs involving 271 participants were analyzed. KT combined with exercise significantly reduced pain compared with sham taping plus exercise (MD = -1.71; 95% CI: -3.31 to -0.10) and exercise alone (MD = -1.39; 95% CI: -2.63 to -0.14). Functional improvement assessed by the patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) was also greater in the KT group for both comparisons (MD = -15.6 and -29.15, respectively). Grip strength improved by 3.96 kg (95% CI: 0.41-7.51) with KT plus exercise. In conclusion, KT used alongside exercise provides superior short-term improvements in pain, function, and grip strength compared with sham taping or exercise alone. Further standardized, long-term trials are warranted to confirm these findings.