Journal of sport rehabilitation | 2019
Efficacy of Kinesio Taping and McConnell Taping Techniques in the Management of Anterior Knee Pain.
Abstract
CONTEXT\nAnterior knee pain also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome is a frequently encountered musculoskeletal disorder that worsens with activity. The multifactorial etiology of patellofemoral pain syndrome alters lower-extremity mechanics, increasing patellofemoral joint stresses during weight-bearing tasks. Kinesio and McConnell tapings are often incorporated into the treatment, but their efficacy is still unclear.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nTo test the efficacy of Kinesio taping, McConnell taping, and sham taping in improving knee mechanics and reducing pain during activity.\n\n\nDESIGN\nCross-sectional design.\n\n\nSETTING\nClinical biomechanics laboratory.\n\n\nPARTICIPANTS\nTen participants (age: 20.3 [1.5]\xa0y, height: 169.9 [10.4]\xa0cm, and mass: 70.17 [13.1]\xa0kg) with anterior knee pain and no history of trauma.\n\n\nINTERVENTION\nThree trials each of squat, drop jump, and step-down tasks with 3 taping conditions in a counterbalanced order.\n\n\nMAIN OUTCOME MEASURES\nTwo-dimensional motion capture data of lower-extremities in frontal and sagittal planes were recorded and analyzed using 3 iPads and Spark MotionĀ® application. Pooled effect sizes (Hedges g), 95% confidence intervals, and repeated-measures analysis of variance (P\u2009<\u2009.05) compared baseline and taping conditions during exercises for pain Visual Analog Scale and knee flexion in all exercises, hip abduction during step-down and drop jump, frontal plane projection during step-downs, and knee translation in sagittal plane during squats.\n\n\nRESULTS\nSignificant reductions in Visual Analog Scale were recorded during squats between tapes (F2.505,12.867\u2009=\u20093.407, P\u2009=\u2009.04, Hedges g\u2009=\u2009-0.70). Pairwise comparison showed a decrease in Visual Analog Scale for sham taping (mean difference\u2009=\u20091.14\xa0cm, P\u2009=\u2009.01) and Kinesio taping (mean difference\u2009=\u20091.54\xa0cm, P\u2009=\u2009.02) compared with baseline during squats.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nA variety of taping methods can potentially reduce perceived pain in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome, allowing clinicians to perform rehabilitation exercises. Sensory effects associated with short-term taping may be sufficient enough to modify knee pain acutely by afferent input blocking nocioceptive pain before the participants could adapt. Most interestingly, the sham taping technique demonstrated promise for enhancing functional outcomes, depending on the length of the tape and area covered.