PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:

There are various studies showing efficacy of Kinesio Taping in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis in Pain, Gait, Strength, Proprioception and Balance etc. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no studies which compared the efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping on Pain and Functional Mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis in Indian population.

Therefore, the purpose of the study is to find out the comparative efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping on Pain and Functional Mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

AIM: 

To compare the efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES:

1.      To find out the efficacy of Kinesio Taping along with Standardized Exercise Program on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

2.      To find out the efficacy of Sham Taping along with Standardized Exercise Program on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

3.      To compare the efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping along with Standardized Exercise Program on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

NULL HYPOTHESIS :

There is no statistically significant difference between the efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS :

There is statistically significant difference between the efficacy of Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping on pain and functional mobility in patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

PROCEDURE:

Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC) approval will be taken before commencement of the study. All patients having Knee Pain or diagnosed with Knee Osteoarthritis are referred to the department of Physiotherapy from the Assessment clinic (ASC) of National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (Divyangjan)  will be approached with the proposal of the study. Total 30 patients will be evaluated and screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria along with radiological evaluation using x-ray for Kellgren and Lawrence classification .Patients meeting the exclusion criteria will not be included. Those fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be explained in details about the study in their preferred language. Written informed consent will be obtained from the patients agreeing to participate. Then the patients will be randomly divided into two groups by block randomization method by computer generated random blocks.

The demographic data and the outcome measure for Pain Intensity by Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Functional Mobility by Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test and Function by WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index will be collected from each patient at Day 1 before starting the intervention and post-intervention at Day 10 i.e.at the end of 10th session (5 sessions per week for 2 weeks). All the patients in “Group A” (n=15) will be treated with Kinesio Taping along with Standardized Exercise Program for 10 sessions, whereas in “Group B” (n=15) patients will be treated with Sham Taping along with Standardized Exercise Program for 10 sessions.

Kinesio Taping and Sham Taping will be applied 4 sessions for 2 weeks on 1^st ,3^rd ,5^th & 8^th day and Standardized Exercise Program for 5 sessions per week for 2 weeks. The patient will be advised to contact the investigator incase the tape is dislodged or separated from the skin. After completion of 10 sessions (5 sessions per week) of intervention, all the patients will continue Home Exercise Program (HEP).

Rescue medication duly prescribed by the physician will be continued throughout the study, along with the standardized physiotherapeutic approach in both the groups.