Kinesio taping effectively improved pain and disability in postpartum women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) is a prevalent condition that significantly impacts the well-being of postpartum women. Kinesio taping (KT) is a convenient and non-invasive intervention that may help manage PPGP by enhancing pelvic stability and reducing pain. AIM: To determine whether a novel KT technique, targeting the posterior oblique muscle sling and sacroiliac joints, could produce greater improvements in pain, disability, physical function, health-related quality of life (QoL), and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) function than sham taping in postpartum women with PPGP. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with blinded participants and blinded outcome assessment. SETTING: Rehabilitation department in a hospital. POPULATION: Postpartum women clinically diagnosed with PPGP. METHODS: Thirty-three postpartum women experiencing PPGP were randomly assigned to the KT group (N.=16) or the control group (N.=17). Both groups underwent four taping sessions over a two-week period. Pain intensity and disability were the primary outcomes, with physical function, QoL, and PFM function as the secondary outcomes. Outcomes were assessed at the baseline and after the intervention, and group-by-time interactions were analyzed using repeated-measures statistical models. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the KT group demonstrated significantly greater reduction in pain (Visual Analog Scale: between-group mean difference [MD]=-15.13 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -22.87 to -7.38, P<0.001), and disability level (Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire total score: MD=-6.90%, 95% CI: -12.80 to -1.03, P=0.021). Greater improvements in performance of the timed up-and-go test and the physical component of QoL were also found in the KT group. No significant between-group differences were observed in PFM function. CONCLUSIONS: KT targeting the posterior muscle sling and pelvic girdle appears to show promise as a feasible, non-invasive adjunct intervention for mitigating pain and disability and improving physical function and QoL in postpartum women with PPGP. Kinesio taping may represent a practical option for women who are unable to engage in intensive exercise-based physical therapy. Clinically, KT may serve as a low-burden adjunct to support early symptom management in postpartum rehabilitation. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: This study introduces a novel KT method that provides short-term symptom relief and functional improvement in postpartum women with PPGP, supporting its potential role as an accessible adjunct in early postpartum recovery.