title: The effects of kinesiology taping therapy on degenerative knee arthritis patients' pain, function, and joint range of motion.
abstract: [Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of kinesiology taping therapy on degenerative knee arthritis patients' pain, function, and joint range of motion. [Subjects] To conduct the experiment in the present study, 30 patients with degenerative knee arthritis were divided into a control group (the conservative treatment group) of 15 patients, who received conservative physical therapy, and an experimental group (the kinesiology taping group) of 15 patients, who received kinesiology taping therapy. [Methods] All patients received treatment three times per week for four weeks. The kinesiology taping group had elastic tapes applied to the hamstring muscles, anterior tibialis, quadriceps femoris, and gastrocnemius. The range of motion was measured using joint goniometers, pain was measured using visual analog scales, and functional evaluation was conducted using the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. [Results] In intragroup comparisons of the kinesiology taping group and the conservative treatment group, the visual analog scale and Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores significantly decreased, and the range of motion increased more than significantly. In intergroup comparisons, the kinesiology taping group showed significantly lower visual analog scale and Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores and significantly larger ranges of motion than the conservative treatment group. [Conclusion] Kinesiology taping therapy is considered to be an effective nonsurgical intervention method for pain relief, daily living activities, and range of motion of degenerative knee arthritis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Kang Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwansub
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Science, Graduate School, Catholic University of Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Pediatric Physical Therapy, Humana Namsan Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chae-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Youngdong University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sangyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Kinesiology tape; Knee joint; Osteoarthritis