Kinesio Taping does not improve the symptoms or function of older people with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised trial

Question: Does Kinesio Taping reduce pain and swelling, and increase muscle strength, function and knee-related health status in older people with knee osteoarthritis? Design: Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded assessment. Participants: Seventy-six older people with knee osteoarthritis. Intervention: The experimental group received three simultaneous Kinesio Taping techniques to treat pain, strength and swelling. The control group received sham taping. All participants kept the taping on for 4 days. Outcome measures: The outcomes were: concentric muscle strength of knee extensors and flexors, measured by isokinetic dynamometry with an angular velocity of 60 deg/second normalised for body mass [(Nm/kg) x 100 (%)]; pressure pain threshold via digital pressure algometry (kgf/cm2); lower-limb swelling via volumetry (l) and perimetry (cm); physical function via the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale (0 = worst to 100 = best); and knee-related health status via the Western Ontario and McMaster (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index (0 = best to 96 = worst). Outcomes were measured at Day 4 (end of the taping period) and Day 19 (follow-up) after the start of the treatment. Results: At Day 4, there were no significant between-group differences for knee extensor muscle strength (MD -1%, 95% CI -7 to 5), knee flexor muscle strength (MD 2%, 95% CI -3 to 7), the pressure pain threshold at any measured point, volumetry (MD 0.05 L, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.11), perimetry at any measured point, Lysholm score (MD -4 points, 95% CI -9 to 2), or WOMAC score (MD -2 points, 95% CI -8 to 4). The lack of significant between-group difference was also seen at the follow-up assessment on Day 19. Conclusion: The Kinesio Taping techniques investigated in this study provided no beneficial effects for older people with knee osteoarthritis on any of the assessed outcomes. Trial registration: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, RBR-36r3t5. [Wageck B, Nunes GS, Bohlen NB, Santos GM, de Noronha M (2016) Kinesio Taping does not improve the symptoms or function of older people with knee osteoarthritis: a randomised trial. Journal of Physiotherapy 62: 153-158].