OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term effect of a mixed-Kinesio Taping (KT) model on range of ankle motion (ROAM), gait, pain, perimeter of lower limb and quality of life in postmenopausal women with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). DESIGN: Double-blinded randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Clinical setting. PARTICIPANTS: 130 consecutive postmenopausal females (mean age 65.44 +/- 14.7 SD) with mild CVI. No participant withdrew because of adverse effects. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group to receive a mixed Kinesio Taping-compression treatment following KT recommendations for gastrocnemius muscle enhancement and functional correction of the ankle and adding 2 tapes to simulate traditional compression bandages (no KT guidelines), or to a placebo control group for sham KT. Both interventions were performed three times/week during a 4-week period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ROAM, gait, pain, perimeter of right (RLL) and left (LLL) lower limb and quality of life were assessed at baseline and 48 h post-treatment. RESULTS: Quality of life was better in intervention group a mean of 8.76 points (95% CI 4.96 to 12.55). The experimental group also showed significant pre-postreatment improvements in both lower limb in gait dorsiflexion ROAM (95% CI 1.02 to 2.49), cadence (95% CI 3.45 to 1.47), stride length (95% CI 21.48 to 10.83), step length (95% CI 1.68 to 6.61), stance phase (95% CI 61 to 107), and foot (95% CI 0.56 to 0.92) and malleolus (95% CI 1.15 to 1.63) circumference. None of these variables were significantly modified in the placebo group. Both groups reported a significant reduction in pain. CONCLUSIONS: Ankle dorsiflexion during gait, walking parameters, peripheral edema, venous pain, and quality of life remain improved in CVI patients at one month after mixed Kinesio Taping-compression therapy. KT may have a placebo effect on pain perception.

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