Concealed allocation was performed by using a computergenerated randomised table of numbers created before the data collection by an investigator not involved in the assessment or treatment of the participants. Individual sequentially numbered index cards with the random assignment were folded and placed in sealed opaque envelopes. On the day after the initial examination, the envelope allocated to the participant was opened by a second investigator. This investigator, who was a certified Kinesio
Tape practitioner, proceeded with the treatment according to the group assignment, and was therefore responsible for applying the tape to all participants. Participants were blinded to the PARP inhibitor treatment allocation and had Epacadostat no previous experience of Kinesio Taping. Participants
wore the tape for one week. Outcomes were measured at the end of that week and four weeks later. Assessors were also blinded to each participant’s treatment allocation. During the treatment and follow-up periods, medication use was not restricted and was not recorded. To be eligible for inclusion in the trial, participants were required to have had low back pain for at least 3 months, to be aged between 18 and 65 years, to score of four or more on the Roland-Morris Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire at randomisation (UK Trial BEAM team 2004), and to not achieve flexion-relaxation in the lumbar muscles during ADP ribosylation factor trunk flexion (Neblett et al 2003). Exclusion criteria were clinical signs of radiculopathy, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, spondylolisthesis, previous spinal surgery or Kinesio Tape therapy, corticosteroid treatment in the previous two weeks, and central or peripheral nervous system disease. The participants attended the Almeria University Health Science School Clinic to have their allocated taping applied. The tapea used in this study was waterproof, porous,
and adhesive, with a width of 5 cm and thickness of 0.5 mm. The experimental group received a standardised Kinesio Tape application in sitting position. Four blue I-strips were placed at 25% tension overlapping in a star shape over the point of maximum pain in the lumbar area. Strips were applied by pressing and adhering the central part before the ends (Figure 1A). The placebo group received a sham Kinesio Tape application, consisting of a single I-strip of the same tape applied transversely immediately above the point of maximum lumbar pain (Figure 1B). Participants in both groups were advised to leave the tape in situ for 7 days. The practitioner applying the tape was careful to ensure that the rest of the treatment consultation was exactly the same for both groups. Disability was measured using two questionnaires.