Authors (including presenting author) :
Tam JKY(1), But CY(1), Lau MHL(1), Leung KKL(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Physiotherapy Department, Kowloon Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Keyword 2: :
Kinesio Taping
Keyword 3: :
Isokinetic Testing
Keyword 4: :
Strengthening Exercise
Introduction :
Kinesio taping (KT) is widely used in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) with effects of facilitating muscle excitability, pain reduction and correcting joint malalignments, allowing proper rehabilitation with regards to symptoms. Currently most clinical trials prioritise functional scales over objective strength outcomes, with its influence on knee muscle strength not well established. Isokinetic dynamometry offers reliable, velocity‑controlled assessment of knee extensor and flexor torque, enabling precise quantification of strength changes during rehabilitation.
Objectives :
To investigate whether a KT-supported lower-limb strengthening program is superior in improving isokinetic knee strength and pain level of patients with PFPS.
Methodology :
Adults aged 18–60 years with PFPS of at least one month duration were recruited from the out-patient physiotherapy department of Kowloon Hospital. Participants are divided by patellar‑corrective KT application group and control group. Both groups followed a 6-week supervised lower‑limb strengthening program. Isokinetic assessment of the symptomatic limb was performed using a dynamometer at angular velocities of 60°, 180°, and 300°/s for concentric quadriceps and hamstring contractions. Testing occurred at two time points: baseline prior to any intervention (T0) and upon completion of the training program (T1). Primary outcomes were quadriceps and hamstring peak torque at each velocity. Secondary outcome was pain intensity measured by Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Paired T‑test was used to evaluate changes within groups, and ANCOVA was used to analyse for between‑group differences to compare the effects of KT application.
Result & Outcome :
Twenty adults with PFPS (mean age 41.1 ± 11.8 years; 12 females, 8 males) were recruited into the program. In the KT group, both quadriceps and hamstring peak torque increased significantly at all angular velocities from T0 to T1 (p< 0.001), accompanied by reduction in NPRS scores exceeding MCID of 1.2, with statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). The control group also demonstrated significant improvements in muscle strength across testing velocities (p< 0.001), but changes in NPRS did not reach statistical significance (p=0.081), suggesting limited impact on pain. Between-group analysis revealed greater isokinetic strength gains and pain reductions in the KT group versus control, suggesting added clinical benefit of patellar-corrective KT with structured strengthening. Such could potentially facilitate accelerated rehabilitation and discharge of PFPS patients, promoting efficient use of clinical resources. Future studies may include a larger population RCT which can establish clinical generalizability.
