title: Effect of patellar strap and sports tape on jumper's knee symptoms: protocol of a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patellar straps or sports tapes are commonly used by athletes with patellar tendinopathy in order to reduce pain and to continue sports participation. Currently, there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a patellar strap or sports tape in the management of this common injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of the use of a patellar strap and sports tape on pain and sports participation in subjects with patellar tendinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is divided into two parts: a randomised controlled crossover experiment and a randomised controlled trial (parallel group design).
  
  
  METHODS
  140 patients diagnosed with patellar tendinopathy recruited from sports medical centres and physiotherapist practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first part of the study, participants serve as their own control by performing three functional tests under four different conditions (patellar strap, sports tape, placebo tape, and no orthosis). In the second part, participants keep a log for two weeks (control week and intervention week) about the pain experienced during and after sports and their level of sports participation. In the intervention week participants will use the orthosis assigned to them during training and competition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The amount of pain (both parts of the study) and sports participation (second part only) will be measured.
  
  
  METHODS
  To analyse the effects of the orthoses a Linear Mixed Model will be used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge gained in this study can be used by practitioners in their advice for athletes with patellar tendinopathy about using patellar strap and sports tape during sports.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Sports Medicine The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.j.de.vries02@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Astrid J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van den Akker-Scheek
authors.forename: Ron L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Diercks
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwerver
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Worp
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D055052:Athletic Tape; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries*; D013177:Sports; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome