Clinical Effectiveness of Kinesio Taping on Pain, Swelling, Proprioception, Deformity and Quality of Life in Individuals with Hemophilia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Hemophilia leads to frequent joint/muscle resulting in bleeds, hemophilic arthropathy (HA), chronic pain, swelling, proprioceptive disorders, deformity, as well as reduced quality of life (QoL). Kinesio taping (KT) is emerging as an adjunctive physiotherapy in hemophilia, and there is no synthesis on core outcomes.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to conduct a systematic review of the RCTs that evaluate the superiority of KT as the only intervention or with physiotherapy, compared with non-KT controls, in the management of pain, swelling, proprioception, deformity, functioning, and health-related QoL in patients with hemophilia.

Methods: PRISMA 2020-conformant review, searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, Cochrane Library (inception -December 2025) was found to identify RCTs in hemophilia A/B. Eligible: KT vs. non-KT. Primary: pain, swelling, proprioception, deformity, QoL; secondary: functional, independence. Quality was measured by PEDro scale, Cochrane RoB 2 measured bias. Heterogeneity/small trials Narrative synthesis.

Findings: There were four RCTs (n=128 males, 1040 years; primarily moderate-severe hemophilia A) that covered low back pain, acute hematomas, knee problems and HA, among adolescents. KT was 2 days 13 weeks, frequently with exercise/CO₂ laser. KT reduced pain in all experiments, improved functioning (FISH, HJHS, 6MWT) in three and accelerated hematoma clearance (ultrasound) in one. No proprioception/QoL data. PEDro: 5–7/10 (moderate quality). RoB 2: low randomization bias; three with some concerns (intervention deviations, measurement); impossible, performance likely in pain.

Conclusion: Finding of moderate quality of small RCTs puts KT as potentially useful in short-term pain relief, functional improvements and hematoma in hemophilia. Limitations: small samples, heterogeneity, lack of results. Require bigger multicenter blinded-assessor RCTs in which standardized KT, core sets proprioception, QoL, bleeds, joints are used in rehabilitation guidelines.