D？Z OSTEOARTR？T？NDE K？NEZYOLOJ？K BANTLAMANIN A？RI VE FONKS？YONELL？K üZER？NE ETK？S？: P？LOT ？ALI？MA/ The effect of kinesiologic taping on pain and functionality in knee osteoarthritis: Pilot Study

In the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, which leads to pain and functional loss, kinesiologic taping has begun to attract attention. Because the facilitation of quadriceps femoris may help stabilization and load on the knee joint, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of kinesiologic taping on pain and function, which was performed with facilitation technique. Twenty five women over 50 years of age included into this pilot study as 3 groups. After obtaining demographic data, ‘Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index’, ‘Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score’ questionnaires, visual analog scale and stair climbing tests were performed as pre-post treatment. Y-shape taping was applied on quadriceps femoris muscles at first, 5th and 10th days. The post treatment values significantly improved in three groups (p<0,05). There was a significant decrease on pain in taping group in comparison to others (p=0.035). Significant differences were found in ‘Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index’ score in physical therapy-taping group (p=0,017), and in taping group (p=0,002). Significant differences were found in ‘Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score’ in the same groups (p=0,006), (p=0,033) respectively. There was no superiority. No difference was found in stair climbing test (p=0,063). Best improvement found in kinesiologic taping group on pain might arise from the tape itself or being motivated by relief from the waiting list effect for treatment. Further studies with more participants is needed to say that kinesiologic taping should be exactly used in knee osteoarthritis.