The effect of kinesiology taping on pain and functionality in knee ostheoarthiritis: Pilot Study

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis is an important health problem causes pain and functional loss. The main treatment goal is pain relief, gaining function and preventing disability. Treatment approaches include patient education, weight loss and exercise programs as well as physical therapy and kinesiology taping. Facilitation of quadriceps femoris as an important muscle may support knee stabilization and load bearing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of kinesiology taping on pain and function. Methods: Twenty five women over 50 years of age included into this pilot study as 3 groups: physical therapy-kinesiology taping, physical therapy, and kinesiology taping. After obtaining demographic data, WOMAC, KOOS questionnaires, visual analog scale and stair climbing tests were performed as pre and post treatment. Y-type taping was applied on quadriceps femoris muscles at first, 5th and 10th days. Results: The post treatment data significantly improved in three groups (p<0,05). There was a significant decrease in visual analog scale in KT group in comparison to others (p=0.035). Significant differences were found in WOMAC score in physical therapy- kinesiology taping group (p=0,017), and in kinesiology taping group (p=0,002). Significant differences were found in KOOS score in the same groups (p=0,006), (p=0,033) respectively. However, there was no superiority on each other. There was no difference between groups in stair climbing test (p=0,063). Conclusion: Best improvement found in kinesiology tape group on pain might arise from the tape itself or the motivational effect of seeing this application for the first time. Further studies are needed for saying definite usage of kinesiology taping in gonarthrosis