COMPARING THE EFFICACY OF KINESIOLOGY TAPING VERSUS DRY NEEDLING WITH CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT FOR IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE AND ALLEVIATING PAIN IN FROZEN SHOULDER PATIENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/ah4xwp85Keywords:
Adhesive Capsulitis, Dry Needling, Kinesio Taping, Pain Management, Physical Therapy Modalities, Range of Motion, , Shoulder Joint'Abstract
Background: Adhesive capsulitis (AC), commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder marked by pain and restricted range of motion (ROM) in the shoulder joint. It significantly impacts patients’ daily activities and quality of life. Conventional physiotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment, but adjunct techniques such as Dry Needling (DN) and Kinesio Taping (KT) are increasingly used to enhance therapeutic outcomes. A multimodal approach incorporating DN and KT may yield superior results in managing shoulder pain and dysfunction.
Objective: To compare the effects of Kinesio Taping and Dry Needling, when used alongside conventional physiotherapy, on improving pain and functional outcomes in patients with adhesive capsulitis.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 participants initially enrolled; 6 dropped out, leaving 24 participants who completed the study. Participants were allocated into two groups: Group 1 received Dry Needling with conventional physiotherapy, while Group 2 received Kinesio Taping with conventional physiotherapy. The study was conducted at Pain Away Physiotherapy Clinic over 6 months. Data collection tools included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) for functional assessment. Paired sample and independent sample t-tests were used for within- and between-group comparisons using SPSS version 26.
Results: The mean age was 44.83 ± 7.197 years, with 17 females (70.8%) and 7 males (29.2%). In Group 1, the VAS score difference was -2.000 ± 1.128 (p = .000), while in Group 2 it was -3.000 ± 1.595 (p = .000). SPADI scores improved significantly in both groups: Group 1 showed a difference of -4.250 ± 5.479 (p = .021) and Group 2 -8.833 ± 5.096 (p = .000). Between-group comparisons also showed statistically significant results in favor of Dry Needling.
Conclusion: Dry Needling was found to be more effective than Kinesio Taping in reducing pain and improving functional capacity in patients with frozen shoulder. A combined approach with conventional physiotherapy enhances therapeutic outcomes, although optimal treatment parameters require further exploration.
References
Tortora S, Messina C, Albano D, Serpi F, Corazza A, Carrafiello G, et al. Ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventional procedures around the elbow, hand and wrist excluding carpal tunnel procedures. J Ultrason. 2021;21(85):e169-e76.
Shen W, Xie NH, Cong XY, Zheng YJ. Study on the Effectiveness of Ultrasound-guided Pulsed Radiofrequency Therapy for Shoulder Pain Caused by Trigger Points. Clin J Pain. 2025;41(2).
Kalia V, Mani S, Kumar SP. Short-term effect of myofascial trigger point dry-needling in patients with Adhesive Capsulitis. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021;25:146-50.
Wang L, Yu G, Zhang R, Wu G, He L, Chen Y. Positive effects of neuromuscular exercises on pain and active range of motion in idiopathic frozen shoulder: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2023;24(1):50.
Navarro-Ledesma S, Hamed-Hamed D, Pruimboom L. A new perspective of frozen shoulder pathology; the interplay between the brain and the immune system. Front Physiol. 2024;15:1248612.
Shanmugam S, Mathias L, Manickaraj N, Kumar KUD, Kandakurti PK, Dorairaj SK, et al. Intramuscular Electrical Stimulation Combined with Therapeutic Exercises in Patients with Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Int J Surg Protoc. 2021;25(1):71-83.
Nakandala P, Nanayakkara I, Wadugodapitiya S, Gawarammana I. The efficacy of physiotherapy interventions in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis: A systematic review. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2021;34(2):195-205.
Satpute K, Reid S, Mitchell T, Mackay G, Hall T. Efficacy of mobilization with movement (MWM) for shoulder conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Man Manip Ther. 2022;30(1):13-32.
Poku D, Hassan R, Migliorini F, Maffulli N. Efficacy of hydrodilatation in frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br Med Bull. 2023;147(1):121-47.
Ferlito R, Testa G, McCracken KL, Moscato S, Zerbito GM, Panvini FMC, et al. Effectiveness of Therapeutical Interventions on the Scapulothoracic Complex in the Management of Patients with Subacromial Impingement and Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2023;8(2).
de la Barra Ortiz HA, Parizotto N, Arias M, Liebano R. Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of patients with frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci. 2023;38(1):266.
Rahbar M, Ranjbar Kiyakalayeh S, Mirzajani R, Eftekharsadat B, Dolatkhah N. Effectiveness of acromioclavicular joint mobilization and physical therapy vs physical therapy alone in patients with frozen shoulder: A randomized clinical trial. Clin Rehabil. 2022;36(5):669-82.
Lin P, Yang M, Huang D, Lin H, Wang J, Zhong C, et al. Effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique on the treatment of frozen shoulder: a pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23(1):367.
Wang Y, Wang K, Qin Y, Wang S, Tan B, Jia L, et al. The effect of corticosteroid injection in the treatment of greater trochanter pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Orthop Surg Res. 2022;17(1):283.
Schiltz M, Goudman L, Moens M, Nijs J, Hatem SM. The diagnostic value of physical examination tests in adhesive capsulitis: a systematic review. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2023;59(6):724-30.
de la Serna D, Navarro-Ledesma S, Alayón F, López E, Pruimboom L. A Comprehensive View of Frozen Shoulder: A Mystery Syndrome. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:663703.
Patel R, Urits I, Wolf J, Murthy A, Cornett EM, Jones MR, et al. A Comprehensive Update of Adhesive Capsulitis and Minimally Invasive Treatment Options. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2020;50(4 Suppl 1):91-107.
Dinh B, Dunning J, Kearns GA, Thorp L, Charlebois C, Young I. A comparison of dry needle placement accuracy rates between two approaches targeting the gluteus medius osteotendinous junction in cadavers. J Man Manip Ther. 2025:1-7.
Gazendam A, Ekhtiari S, Axelrod D, Gouveia K, Gyemi L, Ayeni O, et al. Comparative Efficacy of Nonoperative Treatments for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin J Sport Med. 2022;32(4):427-32.
Pandey V, Madi S. Clinical Guidelines in the Management of Frozen Shoulder: An Update! Indian J Orthop. 2021;55(2):299-309.
Picasso R, Pistoia F, Zaottini F, Marcenaro G, Miguel-Pérez M, Tagliafico AS, et al. Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: Current Concepts on the Diagnostic Work-Up and Evidence-Based Protocol for Radiological Evaluation. Diagnostics (Basel). 2023;13(22).
Li D, St Angelo JM, Taqi M. Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder). StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing
Copyright © 2025, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2025.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Aliza Iqbal , Gulnaz Yamin, Ayesha Babar , Iqra Bibi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
