Evaluation of the Effect of Kinesiology Taping on Pain and Swelling After Orthognathic Surgery

OBJECTIVES: Pain and edema following orthognathic surgery are significant clinical problems that can negatively affect patients' postoperative comfort and complicate the healing process. Kinesiological taping, a noninvasive method with a low potential for side effects, stands out as an alternative or complementary approach to pharmacological treatments in the management of postoperative symptoms. METHODS: In a split-face design, kinesiological taping was applied to 1 side of the face of 30 patients in the postoperative period, while the opposite side served as a control. The tapes were left in place for 5 days. Pain levels were assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Edema was evaluated on days 2 and 5 postoperatively and at a 1-year follow-up using stereophotogrammetric analysis and distance measurements between defined anatomic reference points. In addition to descriptive statistics, the independent-samples t test, the Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, and the Friedman test were used. RESULTS: Pain scores were higher on the control side during the 5-day follow-up period, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. In stereophotogrammetric measurements, lower edema values ​​were observed on the side where kinesiological taping was applied at all evaluation times. In distance measurements between anatomic reference points, significantly lower edema values ​​were detected on the kinesiological taping side on the fifth postoperative day in the distance between the angulus-labial commissure and the lateral canthus-angulus. CONCLUSION: Kinesiology taping may be considered a potentially effective, noninvasive, easy-to-apply, and cost-effective adjunctive method for reducing postoperative edema following orthognathic surgery.