Does kinesiotaping can improve static stability of the knee after anterior cruciate ligament rupture? A randomized single-blind, placebo‐controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was the assessment of the early impact of the selected kinesiotaping technique on the static stability of the knee joint in patients with ACL rupture on the basis of stabilographic parameters. METHODS: Sixty-two patients with a complete ACL rupture (32 patients in experimental group and 30 patients in placebo group) took part in the randomized single-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The ligament technique of KT was taken into consideration. Application of a KT tape only on the injured knee was to stabilize the knee joint. Experimental group had application of KT on the injured knee and the placebo group had a KT placebo application (with no tension on KT). Intervention and stabilographic test in both groups was the same. Research tools included measurements of static stabilographic parameters on stabilometric platform CQStab2P®. Outcome measures were assessed before intervention and after KT application. The analysis included evaluation of outcome variables – total path length, (SP), statokinesiogram path length in the XY axes (SPML, SPAP), and mean velocities in the XY axes (MV, MVML, MVAP). RESULTS: The results show a statistically significant shortening of the SP, SPAP and SPML variables only in experimental group. In the placebo group the results were not significant. The analysis also showed a significant improvement in all analyzed variables in the experimental group compared to the healthy side. In the placebo group, the results did not improve significantly after KT application compared to the healthy side. CONCLUSIONS: Application o f KT in patients after ACL rupture shortened the total path length and improved the value of parameters in the frontal and sagittal planes in experimental group, which may suggest the potentially greater improvement in these parameters. By improving the values of the analyzed variables, the KT application is able to compensate for the loss of static stability of the knee. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered retrospectively in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). Registration number: ACTRN12616001407482.