OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of Kinesio Taping compared to compression garments during maintenance phase of complex decongestive therapy for breast cancer-related lymphedema. DESIGN: Randomized, cross-over, controlled trial. SETTING: Outpatient tertiary-level hospital rehabilitation setting. SUBJECTS: Randomized sample of 30 women with breast cancer-related lymphedema. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received two interventions, Kinesio Taping and compression garment, both lasting four weeks, whose order was randomized by blocks. A four-week washout period was established prior to the interventions and between them. MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome was the lymphedema relative volume change. Secondary outcomes were range of motion of arm joints, self-perception of comfort, and lymphedema-related symptoms (pain, tightness, heaviness, and hardness). RESULTS: The decrease in the relative volume change was greater in the Kinesio Taping intervention (-5.7%, SD 2.0) compared to that observed using compression garments (-3.4%, SD 2.9) (p < 0.001). The range of motion of five upper-limb movements increased after applying taping (between 5.8 degrees and 16.7 degrees) (p < 0.05), but not after compression (p > 0.05). In addition, taping was perceived as more comfortable by patients (between 2.4 and 3 points better than compression in four questions with a 5-point scale (p < 0.001)) and further reduced lymphedema-related symptoms compared to compression (between 0.96 and 1.40 points better in four questions with a 6-point scale (p < 0.05)). CONCLUSION: Kinesio Taping was more effective than compression garments for reducing the lymphedema volume, with less severe lymphedema-related symptoms, better improvement of upper-limb mobility, and more comfort.

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