Background Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease, known as the most common cause of difficulty walking in older adults and subsequently is associated with slow walking, also one of the most main symptoms is a degenerative and mechanics type of pain. Pain is very noticeable while walking in rugged terrain, during ascent and descent of stairs, when changing from sitting to standing position as well as staying in one position for a long time. Many studies have shown that the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle can affect gait, by improving or weakening it. Kinesiotape is a physiotherapeutic technique, which reduces pain and increases muscular strength by irritating the skin receptors

Objectives The aims of this study was firstly to verify if the application of Kinesiotape on quadriceps femoris muscle increases gait speed in patients with knee osteoarthritis and secondly if applying Kinesiotape on quadriceps femoris muscle reduces pain while walking.

Methods 73 patients with primary knee osteorathritis, aged 50–73 years, participated in this study. Firstly we observed the change of gait speed, while walking for 10 meters at normal speed for each patient, before and three days after the application of Kinesiotape on quadriceps femoris muscle, with the help of the 10-meter walk test. Secondly we observed the change of pain, while walking for 10 meters at normal speed for each patient, before and three days after the application, with the help of Numerical Pain Rating Scale-NRS.

Results Our results indicated that there was a significant increase of gait speed while walking for 10 meters one day and also three days after application of Kinesiotape, also there was a significant change of pain. Before applying Kinesiotape on quadriceps muscle was shown that 41.1% chose score 6, 30.1% chose score 7 and 28.8% chose score 8 of the numerical pain rating scale. Three days after the application 15.1% chose score 2, 37% chose score 3 and 47.9% chose score 4 of numerical pain rating scale.

Conclusions Our results indicated that there was a significant decrease of pain and increase of gait speed while walking for 10 meters. Kinesio-Tape can be used in patients with knee osteoarthritis, especially when changing walking stereotypes is a long term goal of the treatment.

References

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2. Slemenda C, Brandt KD, Heilman DK, Mazzuca S, Braunstein EM, Katz BP, et al. (1997). Quadriceps weakness and osteoarthritis of the knee. Ann Intern Med 127:97–104.

3. Ayis S, Ebrahim S, Williams S, Juni P, Dieppe P. (2007). Determinants of reduced walking speed in people with musculoskeletal pain. J Rheumatol. 34(9):1905–12.

4. Vercelli S, Sartorio F, Foti C, Colletto L, Virton D, Ronconi G, et al. (2012). Immediate effects of kinesiotaping on quadriceps muscle strength: a single-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Clin J Sport Med. 22(4): 319–26.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared