Does tension applied in kinesio taping affect pain or function in older women with knee osteoarthritis? A randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the short-term effects of kinesio taping (KT) with tension (KTT) or without tension (KTNT) in older women with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and compare them to controls who did not receive KT. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: University physiotherapy school clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five older women (fifteen participants per group) with 66.8 (±5.6) years and clinical diagnosis of KOA were assessed pre, post and 3 days after intervention. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly allocated to KTT, who received two simultaneous applications of KT with tension on the knee and rectus femoris; KTNT, who received the same application as the KTT group, but without tension and a control group that attended a class on KOA. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was pain intensity and secondary outcomes were knee-related health status, functional capacity, muscle strength and global rating of change. RESULTS: No between-group differences were observed in pain after the first intervention (KTT vs KTNT: mean difference (MD), −1.8 points; 95% CI −4.2 to 0.5; KTT vs control: MD, −1.2 points; 95% CI −3.6 to 1.2; KTNT vs control: MD, 0.66 points; 95% CI −1.7 to 3.0) or 3 days later (KTT vs KTNT: MD, −1.3 points; 95% CI −3.7 to 1.0; KTT vs control: MD, 0.13 points; 95% CI −2.2 to 2.5; KTNT vs control: MD, 1.4 points; 95% CI −0.9 to 3.8). The lack of between-group differences was also found for secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: The short-term use of KT with or without tension in older woman with KOA had no beneficial effects on pain and function. These findings call into question the clinical use of KT as a non-pharmacological therapy for this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03624075.