Effect of Laser v/s Kinesio Taping on Trigger Points in the Upper Trapezius Muscle

BACKGROUND The Trapezius muscle is one of the major muscles to undergo a lot of stress throughout the entire day, be it sitting in front of a computer, carrying heavy backpacks, bending over a table, moving boxes using improper mechanics are amongst the common causes to form Trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. It causes neck pain which leads to reduced range of motion, headache and affects the quality of life of an individual. Laser and Kinesio Taping are common modes of treatment used to relieve pain over a trigger point and studies have proved that they are effective modes of treatment. However, studies comparing the effect of Laser and Kinesio Taping have not been done. Hence the study was undertaken to determine which treatment technique is more effective. METHODS40 Individuals with Trigger points were selected as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into two groups using GraphPad QuickCalcs. Group 1 received Laser along with neck isometrics. Group 2 received Kinesio Taping with neck isometrics. The outcome measures pain intensity using NRS and Cervical range of motion using measuring tape. RESULTS On performing analysis, it was found that both groups were statistically significant in reducing pain on NRS. Both groups were also statistically significant in improving the Cervical ranges. On comparison between the groups, both groups were statistically equally effective in reducing pain and improving the Cervical ranges of motion. CONCLUSION Laser and Kinesio Tape are both equally effective in relieving pain and improving Cervical ROM.