Physical Therapy Korea
pISSN 1225-8962
eISSN 2287-982X
Physical Therapy Korea
Characteristics of included studies
| Study | Study design |
Diagnosis LE status | Participants description |
Treatment protocol & *intervention of control group | Evaluation tool | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atar et al. [32] | RCT double blind sham control | HNL stage I & II | 51.3 years (female: 23/male: 35) KT (n = 30) SKT (n = 28) |
4 weeks (11 times) 5/w (1st week) & 2/w (2–4th week) with MLD 45 min & home exercise *sham KT |
① Circumference of face and neck & edema scale by MDACC HNL ② Fiberoptic endoscopic images ③ VAS: comfort conception ④ EORTC QLQ-C30: QOL |
① Significant reduction in both groups (p < 0.01) edema scale: KT = 76.7%↓, control = 57.1%↓ ② No difference in both group (p = 0.860) ③ No difference between groups in discomfort but significant improvement of global health status & swallowing in the KT ④ Decrease of pain scale in the KT only |
| Selcuk Yilmaz and Ayhan [31] | RCT | BCRL stage II | 54.7 years (female) KT (n = 15) MLD (n = 15) LLLT (n = 15) |
3 weeks, KT = 2/w, MLD = 5/w, LLLT = 5/w with MLB + lymphedema remedial exercise + education/CCL2 flat knit CG after the intervention *MLD/LLLT |
① Circumference & PDV ② DASH ③ LYMQoL-Arm: QOL ④ PDQ: pain |
① Significantly higher PDV measurement in the KT group compared to the MLD group at every measurement time (p = 0.009, p = 0.039, p = 0.042) ② Improvements across all three measurements in both KT and LLLT groups ③ No difference between groups ④ Decrease in all three groups |
| Torres-Lacomba et al. [28] | RCT | BCRL stage I & II | 58.4 years (female) KT (n = 29) MLB (n = 28) S.MLB (n = 30) Cohesive (n = 29) Adhesive (n = 30) |
3 weeks, 5/w (1–2nd week) & for 3-day interval/w with CDT intensive: MLD + IPC 30 min + exercise 15 min + education *4 different bandages types of bandages |
① % excess volume change via Frustrum formula ② Heaviness and tightness ③ 11 point numerical scale perceived comfort |
① Volume reduction most effective in SMLB (59.5%), least effective in KT (4.9%)Difference between two groups' vol. reduction & access vol. %: 107.7 ml & 54.6% ② No difference in heaviness & tightness ③ KT: Most comfortable (1.4)/ MLD: most uncomfortable (6.7) |
| Pajero Otero et al. [26] | RCT cross-over | BCRL stage II | 67 years (female) KT (n = 15) CG (n = 15) |
Wash out 4 weeks & 4 weeks, 1/w & wash out 4 weeks & 4 weeks, 1/w with self-care education: skin care & exercise *compression garment |
① Relative Volume (change & difference) ② ROM ③ Self-perception of comfort ④ LE related symptoms |
① RVC: KT = 5.7%↓/CG = 3.4%↓ ② ROM: only improved in KT 5.8°–16.7°↑(p < 0.05) ③ KT: more comfortable (p < 0.001) ④ KT: more improved LE symptoms (p < 0.05) |
| Ozsoy-Unubol et al. [22] | RCT | BCRL stage I | 52.7 years (female) KT (n = 16) CG (n = 19) |
4 weeks, every 3–4 days with skin and nail care education + home exercise 20 min 2/d *compression garment |
① Circumference measurement ② ROM ③ VAS: pain, heaviness, tightness |
① Arm circumference differences at all levels decreased in both groups ② Similar effects between groups ③ Pain score: KT improves over CG |
| Tantawy et al. [19] | RCT | BCRL stage II & III | 54.7 years (female) KT (n = 30) CG (n = 29) |
3 weeks, 2/w with home exercise *compression garment |
① Sum of limb circumference ② SPADI: shoulder pain & disability ③ Hand grip strength ④ QLQC30: QOL |
① KT: 177.5 → 153.5 (24 cm↓), CG: 172.2 → 163.4 (8.8 cm↓) ② Significant improvement only at KT ③ KT: 23.43 kg↑, CG: 2.18 kg↑ ④ Significant improvement only at KT |
| Ergin et al. [34] | RCT | BCRL significant (≤ 250 ml & marked (250–500 ml) | 56.24 years (female) KT + CDT (n = 18) CDT (n = 14) |
4 weeks (20 times), 5/w (1 hr/d) with CDT: MLD + MLB + exercise + skin care/ KT is maintained for 3 days and then reapplied. *CDT |
① Each 5 cm, 7 points circumference measurement & limb volume | ① Reduced circumference & volume at all points in both group (p ≤ 0.001/p ≤ 0.001) No difference between groups |
| Hassan and Ismail [27] | RCT | BCRL | 54.1 years (female) KT (n = 15) CG (n = 15) |
4 weeks (12 times), 3/w with MLD 45 min + exercise *compression garment |
① Circumference of arm and forearm ② ROM: flexion and abduction |
① Arm: KT = 18.6%↓, CG = 13.7%↓/forearm: KT = 12.28%↓, CG = 18.62%↓ ② ROM: flexion, KT = 75.4%↑ CG = 19.6%/abduction, KT = 72.52%↑, CG = 47.51%↑ |
| Taradaj et al. [11] | RCT | BCRL stage II & III | 62 years (female) KT (n = 22) qKT (n = 23) MLB (n = 25) |
4 weeks (12 times), 3/w with MLD 50 min + IPC 45 min Tape on every Monday and take it off on Friday *quasi-KT/bandages |
① Optoelectronic perometer 40T ② ROM ③ Hand grip strength |
① % of volume decreased in all groups (MLB = 45.02%↓, KT = 22.45%↓, qKT = 24.04%↓) ② Similar results in ROM ③ KT: 128.34 N → 140.23 N, qKT: 130.45 N → 138.93 N, MLB: 128.88 N → 168.76 N |
| Pekyavas et al. [29] | RCT | BCRL grade 2, 3 | 54.6 years (female) KT (n = 14) MLB + KT (n = 13) MLB (n = 14) |
2 weeks (10 times), 5/w with CDT: MLD 30 min + skin care + exercise 20 min/KT daily application *bandages/combination of bandages and KT |
① VAS: LE symptoms & itching and wound formation ② Circumference & volume ③ SF-36: QOL |
① Reduced lymphedema related symptoms in all groups (p < 0.05) pain reduced only in KT ② After 1 month of the intervention: KT + MLB = 547.94 ml↓, KT = 379.04 ml↓, MLB = 358.31 ml↓, only KT + MLB (p < 0.05) ③ No difference between groups |
| Pop et al. [33] | RCT preliminary study | BCRL soft oedema | 62 years (female) ownKT (n = 22) KT (n = 22) |
3 weeks (3 times), 1/w with home exercise 2/d *KT with different directions |
① Circumference & volume ② ROM ③ Hand grip strength ④ Self-prepared questionnaire about the therapy |
① ownKT = 55%↓, KT=27%↓ ② More improved in ownKT (between 0°–15°) ③ ownKT: 14 kg → 22 kg, KT: 13 kg → 18 kg ④ Very good: ownKT (n = 10), KT (n = 4)good: an equal number of 9 each, bad: no one |
| Smykla et al. [30] | RCT single blind pilot study | BCRL stage II & III | 66.3 years (female) KT (n = 20) qKT (n = 22) MLB (n = 23) |
4 weeks (12 times), 3/w with MLD 1 hr + IPC 45 min + skin care *quasi-KT/bandages |
① Optoelectronic perometer 40T | ① KT: 9410.01 cm2 → 8051.15 cm2 (19.36↓)/qKT: 9621.33 cm2 → 8041.02 cm2 (19.19%↓)/MLB: 10089.41 cm2 → 5021.22 cm2 (54.48%↓)(p = 0.005/0.005/0.000003) |
| Özçete and Eyigör [36] | Case study | BCRL | 57 years Female (n = 1) A-V fistula |
4 weeks (12 times), 3/w (+3 extra sessions) with LLLT + self MLD, home ex. | ① Tape measurement & difference of arm volume | ① Volume difference: 691 ml → 461 ml (230 ml↓)/3 months later: 454 ml from baseline (237 ml↓)/17 months later: 267 ml from baseline (424 ml↓) |
| Tantawy [41] | Pilot experimental study | BCRL stage II & III | 52.7 years Female (n=7) |
3 weeks (6 times), 2/w with home exercise 2/w | ① Sum of limb circumference | ① 174.8 cm → 155.6 cm (p = 0.02) |
| Özçete et al. [39] | Case study | HNL stage II | 58 years Male (n = 1) |
1/w (12 times) with self MLD + exercise keep KT for 4–5 days | ① Földi scale edema assessment ② ROM |
① Edema scale II → 0 ② Extension: 20˚ → 35˚/right rotation: 40˚ → 45˚/left lateral flexion: 25˚ → 35˚/right lateral flexion: 30˚ → 35˚ |
| Taradaj et al. [37] | Case study | BCRL | 62 years (female) Permanent nerve damage by DM |
3 weeks, 1/w KT put it on Friday and keep it for 3 days with IPC + MLD 3/w | ① Optoelectronic perometer 40T | ① Volume: 627 cm2↓(2,733 cm2 → 2,106 cm2) The decrease in the period during which KT was applied is significantly larger (31↓/194↓/51↓/206↓/40↓/105↓) |
| Chou et al. [35] | Case study | BCRL stage 2 | 48 years (female) AV-fistula |
3/w (12 times) with MLD 45 min | ① Circumference & volume ② PEV & PERV |
① Circumference: 37.6 cm → 19.8 cm, excess volume: 992 ml → 536 ml ② PEV: 79.95% → 36.43%, PREV: 54%↓ |
| Simone [40] | Case study | HNL | 52 years (male) Oropharyngeal cancer |
9 weeks, 2–3/w, KT started from the 8th session with MLD + CG+ home exercise | ① The sum of neck circumferences ② NDI: neck disability ③ FACIT-F ④ ROM ⑤ PIVM |
① 129.9 cm → 121.9 cm ② 8% → 6% ③ 126 → 134 ④ Improvement between 4°–13° ⑤ Improvement in all directions |
| Van Wyk [42] | Case study | BCRL | 37 years (female) | 2 months, 1/w keep 5 days, remove for 2 days with exercise | ① Circumference ② Assessment of skin texture |
① Upper arm: 41.5 cm → 38.5 cm, forearm: 38.1 cm → 35.1 cm ② Softer to the touch and more flexible to use |
| Pyszora and Krajnik [38] | Case study | Lower limb LE | 56 years (male) Malignant tumor of pancreas |
1/3–5 days applied & 24 hours rest during palliative care | ① Verbal evaluation of patient satisfaction ② Visual check by the therapist |
① Reduced swelling, pain, and heavy symptoms, satisfied with the intervention ② Reduced skin tension, stripy marks on the skin |
RCT, randomized controlled trial; KT, kinesiology taping; SKT, sham kinesiology taping; MLB, multilayer bandage; CG, compression garment; MLD, manual lymph drainage; LLLT, low level laser therapy; IPC, intermittent pneumatic compression therapy; MDACC, MD Anderson cancer center; BCRL, breast cancer related lymphedema; HNL, head and neck lymphedema; VAS, visual analog scale; CCL, compression class level; QOL, quality of life; EORTC QLQ-C30, the European organization for research and treatment of cancer’s quality of life questionnaire consisting of 30 question; DASH, disability of shoulder and arm; PDQ, pain detect questionnaire; SMLB, simplified multilayer bandage; ROM, range of motion; PDV, percentage decrease of volume; RVC, relative volume change; SPADI, shoulder pain and disability; NDI, neck disability index; FACIT-F, functional assessment of chronic illness therapy and cancer; PIVM, passive intervertebral motion; PEV, percentage of excess volume; PREV, percentage reduction of excess volume; A-V fistula, arterio venous fistula. Age is estimated in mean number.