Pain Research and Management

Review Article

Current Evidence Does Support the Use of KT to Treat Chronic Knee Pain in Short Term: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Description and baseline information of included studies.

Study (ref.)

Trial design

Diagnosis

Consort 2010 statement

Cochrane Library score

Participants

Dropout rates

Kinesio Taping group

Control group

Assessment schedule

Assessment timing

Outcome measurement

Pain outcome

Data collection

Aydogdu [16], 2017

RCT

Knee osteoarthritis

N = 54
M/F: 8/48

None

Kinesio Taping with Y-shaped and conventional treatment
N = 28
Age: 52.53 (9.68) years
BMI: 31.18(5.14)

Control group: the same conventional treatment alone.
N = 26
Age: 52.53 (9.68) years
BMI: 31.18 (5.14)

Five times per weeks for three weeks

1 hour later after taping in first session, three weeks later

(1) Pain level
(2) Range of motion
(3) Muscle strength
(4) Functional status

VAS

(VAS) experimental: pre: 4.38 ± 1.48; post: 3.37 ± 1.59; p = 0.002
Control: pre: 4.87 ± 1.49; post: 2.76 ± 1.76; ≦ 0.01
(post ex vs. control) = 0.070

Kaya [11], 2017

RCT

Knee osteoarthritis

N = 39
M/F: 6/33
Age: 55.58 (6.23) years

Kinesio Taping: 1/21
PT: 2/21

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping with Y-shaped.
N = 20.
Age: 54.25 (6.01) years
M/F: 4/16
BMI: 30.72 (3.80)

Placebo Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping applied transverse to the muscle groups.
N = 19. Age: 57.10 (6.26) years
M/F: 2/17
BMI: 31.34 (6.16)

3 applications with a 3- to 4-day interval between each application

Baseline, after the initial Kinesio Taping, The third Kinesio Taping, 1 month later (follow-up)

(1) Pain level
(2) Active ROM
(3) Functional status
(4) Muscle strength

VAS

(VAS) experimental: baseline: 6.08 ± 3.50; post: 2.67 ± 2.66; score change: 3.41(1.75,5.07)
Control: baseline: 6.76 ± 1.92; post: 4.38 ± 2.90; score change: 2.38(1.45,3.30); score change: −1.76(−3.07, −0.45); < 0.05

Wageck et al. [17], 2016

RCT

Knee osteoarthritis

N = 39

Kinesio Taping: 19/38
ST: 18/38

Kinesio Taping group: three simultaneous Kinesio Taping applications
N = 19
Age: 69.6 (6.9) years
M/F: 3/35∗
BMI: 30.0 (4.9)

Sham taping: Sham Kinesio Taping applied transverse to the muscle groups
N = 20
Age: 68.6 (6.3)years
M/F7/31∗
BMI: 31.3 (4.1)

Taping in situ for 4 d

Baseline, Day 4 (end of the taping period), Day 19 (follow-up

(1) Pressure pain threshold
(2) Isokinetic muscle strength
(3) Physical function
(4) Lower-limb swelling
(5) Knee-related health status

Pressure pain threshold (PPT) via digital pressure algometry (kgf/cm²)

Lee et al. [19], 2016

RCT

Knee arthritis

N = 30

None

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping with Y-shaped and general physical therapy
N = 15
Age: 72.0(4.0) years
Height: 160.7(7.1) cm
Weight: 64.9(8.8) kg

Control group: conservative treatment and the same general physical therapy
N = 15
Age: 73.1 (5.8) years
Height: 156.3(7.7) cm
Weight: 61.1(10.7) kg

Three times per week for four weeks

Baseline, three weeks later

(1) Pain
(2) ROM
(3) Functional evaluation

VAS

(VAS) experimental: pre: 7.5 ± 1.0; post: 4.3 ± 1.2
Control: pre: 7.1 ± 1.1; post: 5.7 ± 0.9; ≦ 0.01

Kocyigit et al. [14], 2015

RCT

Knee osteoarthritis

N = 41
M/F = 13/28
Age: 45 (15) years

Kinesio Taping: 1/22
ST: 1/21

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping with Y-shaped and I-shaped
N = 21
Age: 52(7.5) years

Sham taping group: 5 cm beta fix surgical hypoallergenic flexible tape without tension.
N = 20
Age: 52(10)years

12-day period

Baseline, the end of taping period (12th day)

(1) Pain level
(2) Function
(3) The quality of life (via NPH)

VAS

(VAS) experimental: baseline: 5.4 ± 2.1; post: 4.5 ± 2.1; = 0.015
control: baseline: 5.1 ± 1.9; post: 3.7 ± 2.3; = 0.011;

Kuru et al. [20], 2012

RCT

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)

N = 30
Age: 32.9 (12.2) years

None

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping and an exercise program
N = 15
Age: 32.93(12.17) years
M/F: 3/12
BMI: 23.65(4.59)

The ES group: receiving electrical stimulation and the same exercise program
N = 15
Age: 40.93(10.57)years
M/F: 1/14.
BMI: 26.80(3.67)

3 times a week for 6 weeks

At the start of the treatments and at the six-week end

(1) Pain
(2) Range of motion
(3) Muscle strength (4) Functional condition
(5) Quality of life (SF-36)

VAS

(VAS) experimental: baseline: 6.00 ± 1.60; post: 2.66 ± 1.39; ≦ 0.01
Control: baseline: 6.73 ± 1.53; post: 2.80 ± 1.42; ≦ 0.01

Cho et al. [12], 2015

RCT

Knee osteoarthritis

N = 46
Age: 57.9 (4.4) years

None

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping with Y- or I-shaped
N = 23
Age: 58.2 (4.5)
M/F: 6/17
Height: 161.8 (8.2)cm
Weight: 65.7 (8.7)kg

Placebo-Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping without tension or stretch to the rectus femoris in the same manner
N = 23
Age: 57.5(4.4).
M/F: 7/16.
Height: 163.3 (7.3)cm.
Weight: 68.6 (10.0)kg

Before experiment and 1 hr after taping

(1) Pain
(2) Pain-free AROM
(3) Proprioception

VAS at rest and during walking, pressure pain thresholds (PPTs)

(VAS)experimental: pre: 6.72 ± 0.91; post: 5.0 ± 0.77; ≦ 0.01
Control: pre: 6.84 ± 0.71; post: 6.72 ± 0.72; = 0.064
= 0.628
≦ 0.01

Chan et al. [13], 2017

RCT

After anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

N = 60

Kinesio Taping: 5/35
Con: 3/33

Kinesio Taping group: receiving Kinesiology Taping and the standardized physiotherapy rehabilitation
N = 30
Age: 27.4 (8.25)
M/F: 22/8

Control group: not receiving any form of taping but undergoing the same standardized physiotherapy rehabilitation not receiving any form of taping
N = 30
Age: 26.3(7.04)
M/F: 24/6

At the first and second weekly physiotherapy sessions after the ACLR, each application lasting 5 days (five times per week for 2 weeks)

At the first, second and sixth week

(1) Pain
(2) Total range of motion (ROM) of the knee
(3) Self-reported knee function
(4) Midpatella circumferential girth

VAS

(VAS) experimental: pre: 2.90 ± 1.83; post: 0.67 ± 1.42
Control: pre: 2.18 ± 1.95; post: 0.40 ± 1.13

Homayouni et al. [18], 2016

RCT

Pes anserinus tendino-bursitis

N = 46
Age: 49.9 (6.7) years

Kinesio Taping: 1/28
Con:19/28

Kinesio Taping group: with space-correction technique
N = 27
Age: 49.85(6.8)years
M/F: 4/23
BMI: 28.32(1.7)

Naproxen + physical therapy group: naproxen (250 mg TID for 10 days) and 10 sessions
Of daily physical therapy
N = 19
Age: 50.0(6.6)years
M/F: 2/17
BMI: 27.94 .6

Kinesio Taping: applied for 3 weeks, three times with a 1-week interval
Con: 250 mg TID and daily physical therapy for 10 days

The beginning and end of the study

(1) .Pain,
(2) Swelling scores

VAS

(VAS) experimental: base: 8.07 ± 2.4; post: 1.29 ± 1.6
Control: base: 6.63 ± 3.0; post: 3.53 ± 2.7

Akbas et al. [15], 2011

RCT

Patellofemoral pain syndrome

N = 31, all females
Age: 44.88 years

Kinesio Taping group: Kinesio Taping and muscle strengthening and soft tissue stretching exercises
N = 15
Age: 41.00 (11.26) years
BMI:: 25.17 ± 4.80

Control group: the same muscle strengthening and soft tissue stretching exercises
N = 16
Age: 44.88 (7.75) years
BMI: 28.64 (5.77)

Kinesio Taping: five days intervals for six weeks, additionally exercises for six weeks
Con: exercises for six weeks

At the first, third, and sixth weeks

(1) Pain
(2) Tension of the iliotibial band/tensor fascia lata and hamstring muscles and the mediolateral location of the patella
(3) Functional performance

VAS

(VAS)experimental: base: 7.08 ± 2.49; post: 3.69 ± 2.14
Control: base: 6.11 ± 2.43; post: 3.37 ± 2.72