Effectiveness of elastic therapeutic taping in pain management after median sternotomy: A randomized controlled trial.
Alp Özel, Umut Ata Uğraş, Muhammet Fatih Uysal et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of elastic therapeutic taping on postoperative pain and recovery in 195 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting via median sternotomy. The study found that at 48 hours, resting pain was significantly lower in the elastic taping group (19.0 ± 10.2) compared to placebo (37.5 ± 13.7) and sham groups (41.2 ± 16.2; p = 0.001), indicating a clinically meaningful treatment effect.
Key findings
- Resting pain at 48 hours was significantly lower in the elastic taping group (19.0 ± 10.2) compared to placebo (37.5 ± 13.7) and sham (41.2 ± 16.2; p = 0.001).
- Coughing pain was reduced in the elastic taping group (39.2 ± 17.0) versus placebo (56.3 ± 17.2) and sham (59.4 ± 16.8; p = 0.001).
- Tramadol use was lower in the elastic taping group (50 ± 50 mg) compared to placebo (100 ± 50 mg; p = 0.038).
- Length of hospital stay was shorter in the elastic taping group (4 days) compared to placebo (5 days; p = 0.042).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that elastic therapeutic taping may effectively reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption, enhance functional mobility, and shorten hospital stays, which could improve overall recovery for patients after cardiac surgery.