Kinesiology taping with a double-lymphatic pattern reduces canine stifle joint swelling 24 hours after tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy.

Postoperative kinesiology taping in a double-lymphatic pattern significantly reduces early soft tissue swelling after TPLO.

This prospective randomized controlled study evaluated the efficacy of kinesiology taping using a double-lymphatic pattern to reduce postoperative soft tissue swelling following tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) in dogs. Thirty-one canine stifles were randomized into a treatment group (n=16) receiving kinesiology tape applied immediately postoperatively and a control group (n=15) receiving no tape. Girth measurements were collected using pressure-sensitive measuring tape at three anatomical landmarks—the lateral fabella of the femur, the joint line, and the tibial tuberosity—across five time points spanning from immediately before surgical preparation through 24 hours postoperatively. The treatment group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in swelling compared to controls at the lateral fabella location at 18 and 24 hours postoperatively, and at the tibial tuberosity location at 3, 18, and 24 hours postoperatively. No significant differences were noted at the joint line location. Kinesiology tape application was well tolerated with no reported adverse effects. The study supports the hypothesis that lymphatic kinesiology taping can attenuate the early inflammatory edema response following TPLO. Given that TPLO is among the most common orthopedic procedures performed in veterinary medicine, this finding is clinically relevant. Kinesiology taping represents a simple, cost-effective, and noninvasive adjunct to postoperative care. Limitations include the relatively small sample size and short follow-up period. Further studies examining longer-term outcomes, functional recovery, and pain scores would strengthen these findings.

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