Kinesio Taping as an Adjunctive Nursing Intervention for Lower Extremity Edema in ICU Patients: A Case Series

Background and Clinical Significance: Kinesio tape (KT) has gained popularity as an adjunctive approach for treating edema during the rehabilitation phase, following traumatic events, as well as for managing edema in breast cancer patients. Its goal is to reduce swelling and improve mobility in the affected extremity; however, its use in critically ill patients remains limited. To our knowledge, this is the first report of its application in this population. Case presentation: This case series involved three patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who presented with lower extremity edema. One patient developed a cerebrovascular event secondary to moderate traumatic brain injury and two patients experienced sepsis. KT was applied, and extremity circumference, Godet sign, and Stemmer sign were assessed. The bandage was reapplied every 24 h over a 5-day period, with daily evaluations performed by the same nursing staff to ensure measurement consistency. All three patients exhibited a reduction in extremity circumference, along with improvement or resolution of the Godet and Stemmer signs. No adverse effects associated with KT were observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that KT may be a beneficial adjunctive therapy for edema reduction in ICU patients. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm its clinical value.