Acute Effect of Kinesiology Taping on Muscle Activation, Functionality and Proprioception in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Data on the mechanism of kinesiology taping (KT) for providing mechanical support, facilitating or inhibiting muscles, and increasing functionality in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) have been contradictory, with no study evaluating acute muscle activation. Our aim in this study was to determine the acute effect of KT applied to the rectus femoris muscle on this muscle’s activation, functionality and proprioception in patients with knee osteoarthritis. We divided 40 individuals diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis into two groups: (a) KT group (taping with tension facilitation) and (b) a placebo group (taping with no tension facilitation). We applied taping to the participants’ left and right side rectus femoris muscles for 30 minutes, but with muscle facilitation in the KT group and without tension in the placebo group. We assessed participants for muscle activation with surface electromyography (sEMG), for functionality with the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and for proprioception/joint sense with the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5TSTS) before and after taping. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the groups before these interventions were similar ( p > .05). Muscle activation did not change significantly in either group compared to before taping ( p > .05), but there were improvements in both knees for proprioception/joint sense ( p < .05). Both groups were similar in terms of functionality (5TSTS, TUG) results ( p > .05). We concluded that KT applied bilaterally to the rectus femoris did not affect rectus femoris muscle activation and functionality in patients with knee OA, but it did improve proprioception.