Skip Navigation



Rheumatology Advance Access published online on March 31, 2003

Rheumatology, doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keg233
Rheumatology © British Society for Rheumatology 2003; all rights reserved
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
42/7/865    most recent
keg233v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hinman, R. S.
Right arrow Articles by McConnell, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hinman, R. S.
Right arrow Articles by McConnell, J.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology 2003; all rights reserved

Original Papers

Immediate effects of adhesive tape on pain and disability in individuals with knee osteoarthritis

R. S. Hinman 1, K. L. Bennell 1*, K. M. Crossley 1, J. McConnell 1

1 Centre for Sports Medicine Research and Education, School of Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia

* Corresponding author. E-mail: k.bennell{at}unimelb.edu.au.

Received 5 August 2002 ; accepted 3 December 2002

Abstract

Objectives. To evaluate the effects of two knee taping techniques, therapeutic tape and neutral tape, on pain and observed disability in symptomatic generalized knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods. Using a within-subjects study design, 18 participants were tested under three conditions in random order: untaped, wearing therapeutic knee tape and wearing neutral knee tape. Outcome measures included assessment of pain during each of four activities (using a visual analogue scale) and assessment of observed disability (walking speed, timed up and go test, and the step test).

Results. Therapeutic tape significantly reduced pain on three of the four activities assessed, when compared with the neutral and untaped conditions (P<0.017). The only statistically significant change in observed disability was detected in the step test (P<0.001), in favour of the therapeutic tape.

Conclusions. Therapeutic knee tape is a simple, inexpensive strategy that increases the treatment options for therapists and patients in the conservative management of knee OA. Whilst effective in immediately reducing pain, it does not appear to have a significant immediate impact on observed disability associated with the disease. Therapeutic tape may be used as an adjunct to drug and exercise therapies, potentially augmenting the individual benefits of each.

Key words: Osteoarthritis, Taping, Pain, Disability, Physiotherapy, Intervention.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J Am Acad Orthop SurgHome page
J. Richmond, D. Hunter, J. Irrgang, M. H. Jones, B. Levy, R. Marx, L. Snyder-Mackler, W. C. Watters III, R. H. Haralson III, C. M. Turkelson, et al.
Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Nonarthroplasty)
J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., September 1, 2009; 17(9): 591 - 600.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ptjournalHome page
H T. Vaughn and W. Nitsch
Ilial Anterior Rotation Hypermobility in a Female Collegiate Tennis Player
Physical Therapy, December 1, 2008; 88(12): 1578 - 1590.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
R. S. Hinman, K. M. Crossley, J. McConnell, and K. L. Bennell
Does the application of tape influence quadriceps sensorimotor function in knee osteoarthritis?
Rheumatology, March 1, 2004; 43(3): 331 - 336.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.