A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LASER THERAPY AND KINESIOTAPING FOR FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN ANKLE SPRAIN

Background: Ankle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, often leading to chronic instability and impaired function. Conservative interventions such as kinesio taping (KT) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) are increasingly used to manage pain, reduce inflammation, and support joint recovery. Their comparative effectiveness, however, remains under-evaluated in clinical rehabilitation. Understanding their impact on functional recovery may help optimize treatment strategies for ankle sprain management. Objective: To determine the comparative effect of low-level laser therapy and kinesio taping on pain reduction and functional recovery in patients with ankle sprain. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 70 patients previously diagnosed with unilateral ankle sprain, recruited from Nishtar Hospital Multan using purposive sampling. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups (n=35 each). Group 1 received low-level laser therapy, and Group 2 received kinesio taping. The intervention lasted four weeks with three sessions per week. Outcome measures included the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), assessed both pre- and post-intervention. Data normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and paired and independent t-tests were applied using SPSS version 25. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Post-treatment NPRS scores significantly decreased in both groups: from 3.22±0.426 to 1.05±0.235 in the laser group (p=0.000), and from 3.171±0.382 to 1.371±0.490 in the KT group (p=0.002). FAAM scores increased from 69.17±5.527 to 84.08±5.746 in the laser group (p=0.000), and from 68.65±4.37 to 80.02±3.80 in the KT group (p=0.001). Between-group comparison showed significantly better outcomes in the laser group for both NPRS (p=0.000) and FAAM (p=0.001). Conclusion: Both kinesio taping and laser therapy were effective in improving functional recovery and reducing pain in ankle sprain patients. However, laser therapy demonstrated superior outcomes, making it a more effective option for early rehabilitation.