Effect of Kinesio Taping in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis
Effect of Kinesio Taping in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a disease characterized mainly by the wear and tear of the
 articular structures, which affects 6% to 13% of men and 7% to 19% of women, and their
 prevalence may be increased proportionally with increasing age. Signs and symptoms include
 pain, joint stiffness and loss of function. In this perspective, kinesio taping (KT) appears
 as an alternative therapeutic resource for the treatment of this type of patient. However,
 the current evidence on this technique is limited and conflicting, making its effects on the
 symptomatology of the disease still uncertain. Thus, the present study will evaluate the
 effects of KT application on muscle strength, pain, physical function, edema and quality of
 life of elderly women with knee OA. It will be a randomized, blind clinical trial in which 45
 volunteers will be allocated to three groups: G1 (placebo group), G2 (control group) and G3
 (intervention group). The G1 will be submitted to the placebo (no tension) application of KT
 on rectos femoris muscle and knee; the G2 will receive a protocol of a health education
 activity session lasting 60 minutes and finally the G3 will be submitted to the simultaneous
 application (with tension) of two KT techniques on rectos femoris muscle and knee. All groups
 will be evaluated before, immediately after and 72 hours after the application. To measure
 the variables, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC),
 Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), isometric dynamometer,
 perimetry and global rating of change. Statistical analysis will be done using SPSS® software
 (Statistical Package Social Science) version 20.0. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene tests
 will be applied to evaluate the normality and homogeneity of the data, respectively. Intra
 and intergroup comparisons will be evaluated using analysis of variance ANOVA of mixed model.
 In the presence of a significant F, the Benferroni pot-hoc test will be used to identify
 where the difference occurred. For all statistical analyzes, a significance level of 5% (p
 <0.05) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) will be adopted.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  • Female subjects aged 60 years and over, non-obese (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg /
 m2), with diagnosis of knee OA according to the criteria of the American College of
 Rheumatology (Altman et al. , 1986), which are: knee pain most of the day during the
 last weeks and age greater than 60 years (mandatory criteria), and at least two of the
 following criteria: stiffness after rest less than 30 minutes, crackle in the affected
 knee , joint increase of firm consistency, absence of temperature increase and painful
 hypersensitivity to palpation;

 -  Individuals with radiographic signs of degeneration of the knee joint;

 -  Individuals with any degree of degeneration according to the Kellgren-Lawrence
 scale;

 -  Individuals with a pain scale above 3 according to NPRS;

 -  Stiffness in the knee for at least 6 months prior to screening;

 -  Stiffness during the beginning of activities;

 -  Intermittent swelling;

 -  Never have used KT;

 -  Individuals with no history of associated joint disease or systemic rheumatic
 disease and / or history of surgery in the affected lower limb;

 -  Individuals who are not under physiotherapeutic treatment during the
 intervention;

 -  Individuals without neurological, vestibular, visual or auditory deficits that
 make evaluations impossible.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  • Individuals who report pain during the procedure;

 -  Individuals who do not complete the treatment time or who do not perform the
 evaluation procedures correctly, making it impossible to collect any of the data
 investigated;

 -  Individuals with allergy to bandage or cutaneous injury in the region where KT
 will be applied;

 -  Individuals who present hypertensive peak during the evaluations.