TAPING FOR

KNEE
OSTEOARTHRITIS
DOES IT WORK?

Dr. Sisca Susantio, SpKFR

Instalasi Rehabilitasi Medik, RSUP Sanglah Denpasar
Dalam Acara: Seminar & Live Show OA Genu, 2 November 2019
What is • Elastic tape to give somatosensory input.
• Kinesio Tex Designed by chiropractor Dr.
kinesio Kenzo Kase in 1970’s

taping? • 2008 Summer Olympic: volley ball player Kerri

Walsh wore the tape on her shoulder and
subsequently won the gold medal
• Made from a combination of cotton, spandex,
and adhesive
• Lack of conclusive evidence on its
effectiveness
 How It
Works

Mimic human skin

Gate control theory

 Kinesio 1. Skin: relieve pain or pressure and improve
proprioception
taping 2. Circulatory/lymph: remove congestion of

concepts lymphatic fluid and hemorrhages under the

skin
3. Fascia: homeostasis fascial matrix
4. Muscle: restore/promote muscle function
5. Joint: improve joint biomechanic/alignment
 How to
apply?
• Use approximately 4 cm anchors at each end of
the tape, and apply anchors without any tension
• Don’t touch the adhesive if possible, and avoid
creases in the tape
• Use scissors to round the edges of tape to avoid
early lifting off skin
• Apply directly over painful area, using multiple
strips if necessary generally along the muscle
fibers
• Use around 25% tension but no more than 50%
to avoid skin irritation
• Gently rub the tape after application to activate
the adhesive
• If skin becomes red and irritated, remove
immediately (it may be an allergic reaction)
• The tape can be worn for up to 5 days, although
exposure to water may reduce that time
RCT

76 old people with knee OA

Taping for 4 days

No significant between group

differences for knee extensor
muscle strength, knee flexor
muscle strength, pressure pain
threshold, volumetry,
perimetry, Lysholm score,
WOMAC score
Result • Elastic taping is proved to be superior to other forms of
intervention for the reduction of pain during activity,
knee flexibility enhancement, knee related health
status improvement, and proprioceptive sensibility
amelioration
• Not more effective in increasing muscle strength
related to knee OA
• Most significant differences were found in short term
follow up
• Methodological drawbacks and poor data quality
Take home • The bottom line is that kinesiology tape can
be an effective adjunct to reduce
message musculoskeletal pain, providing a safer
alternative for pain relief.
• Always combine taping with proven effective
methods of restoring strength and function
such as therapeutic exercise.
• Need understanding of the problem and
biomechanical analysis.
• Need further and larger experiments.
Thank you