Taping may reduce bowstringing of the finger flexor tendons by 15–22%, but its effect on pain, return time or rupture prevention is not reliable
No definite recommendation for tape can be given
Key Findings
Low to moderate certainty evidence suggests taping might reduce bowstringing of the finger flexor tendons by 15–22%.
Evidence on pain, time to return to sport, shearing forces on the pulleys, pulley ruptures and maximum voluntary contraction was rated very low to low and not considered reliable.
With taping, 90–91% of climbers with grade 1–3 pulley injuries returned to sport after 3 months; 7% needed to keep taping for more than 12 months.
Grading used in the review (modified from Schöffl): 1 pulley strain; 2 complete rupture of A4 or partial rupture of A2 or A3; 3 complete rupture of A2 or A3; 4 multiple ruptures, or a single rupture combined with lumbrical or collateral ligament trauma.
Estimated return to sport: six to eight weeks for grades 1–2 and three months for grade 3, with protective taping continued for three months (grades 1–2) or six months (grade 3).
Practical Application
Tape is an adjunct with weak evidence. It does not prevent a rupture and does not replace assessment or, for a complete rupture, a splint or ring.
Never tell a climber that tape alone is enough for a finger that popped.
The time frames above are estimates quoted by the review; give them as ranges and only after the injury has been graded by a clinician.
Limitations
Heterogeneous studies, no meta-analysis; splint and ring studies were excluded by design. Full text was read.