Effects of Kinesio Taping on Gait Biomechanics in Patellar Tendinopathy Patients

NCT07143942 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: M2024797
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study employed two distinct Kinesio Taping (KT) methods to treat patients with Patellar Tendinopathy (PT). It aimed to compare the efficacy between combined KT-EDF (Epidermis-Dermis-Fascia, EDF) with KT-I taping (I Strip Ligament Correction) and KT-I taping alone in improving pain and function among individuals with patellar tendinopathy. Furthermore, specialized equipment was used to assess changes in gait biomechanics before and after the intervention. Finally, this study integrated gait biomechanical data, scale scores, and surface electromyography signals to elucidate the potential mechanisms through which the combination of KT-EDF and KT-I taping improves gait biomechanics and reduces pain, thereby offering new therapeutic strategies for managing patellar tendinopathy with KT.

Conditions

Patellar Tendinopathy / Jumpers Knee; Kinesio Taping

Keywords

patellar tendinopathy; Kinesio taping; gait biomechanics

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Vicon 3D gait test

  subjects wore athletic shorts, fully exposing the waist and the area below the mid-thigh. After reflective markers were attached, subjects familiarized themselves with the movement collection requirements and procedures according to the testing protocol. They stood in the center of the testing room with their feet shoulder-width apart and upper limbs resting naturally at their sides, maintaining the subtalar joint in a neutral position. A static test was conducted to collect reference data for defining the coordinate systems of the bone segments. Subsequently, participants performed walking, jogging, side-cutting, jumping, and single-leg balance tasks at a self-selected comfortable pace. Sufficient rest was provided between trials to prevent fatigue. Five valid trials were collected for each movement, and the average of three trials was used for analysis.

  50 minutes

• Isokinetic muscle strength testing

  The testing was conducted by the same examiner using an isokinetic dynamometer (Con-Trex MJ, Germany).The subject sat with the hip flexed approximately 85 degrees. The distal end of the dynamic rod was fixed proximal to the medial malleolus. The trunk, pelvis, and mid-thigh were fixed to prevent other parts from compensating when the thigh exerted force. The knee joint's axis of motion was determined with the lateral femoral condyle as the axis. Test angular velocities were 60°/s, 180°/s, and 300°/s concentrically and 60°/s eccentrically, with 3-5 repetitions of each for concentric/eccentric knee extension or flexion contraction (90-10 degrees). A pre-test warm-up of 2-3 submaximal reps was performed, followed by a 1-2 minute rest period between each angular velocity. The test angular velocity was 60°/s, with isokinetic eccentric knee extension (90-10 degrees) performed for 3-5 repetitions of submaximal warm-up to familiarize the movement, followed by 3-5 maximal repetitions.

  40minutes

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Visual Analogue Scale for Pain and VISA-P Scale

  5 miuntes

• Surface electromyography signal parameters

  40minutes

• Plantar pressure test

  20minutes

Study Arms (2)

KT-EDF+I-type combined with exercise therapy group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Kinesio Taping; Behavioral: exercise therapy

KT-I type combined with exercise therapy group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Behavioral: Kinesio Taping; Behavioral: exercise therapy

Interventions

Kinesio Taping BEHAVIORAL

KT-EDF + I Taping Method: With the knee flexed at 60°, two mesh-shaped Kinesio Tape strips were applied with natural tension over the painful area of the patellar tendon. A "jellyfish"-shaped Kinesio Tape strip was then placed with natural tension at the center of the knee joint, aligning its central hole with the treatment area. A thin KT strip was wrapped clockwise around this assembly. Next, the center of an I-shaped tape strip was stretched to 50%-75% tension and applied horizontally over the painful region of the patellar tendon, covering one-third to one-half of the width of the inferior pole of the patella. The ends were secured without tension. Additionally, a "Y"-shaped muscle tape was applied to the gluteus medius, running from the muscle origin to its insertion point. After taping, patients were instructed to keep the tape in place for five days before replacement. The KT-EDF + I taping intervention was continued for a total of eight weeks.

KT-EDF+I-type combined with exercise therapy group

exercise therapy BEHAVIORAL

Phase 1 aims to control load and alleviate pain. It includes isometric quadriceps exercises, wall-supported double-legged squats (at 90 degrees of knee flexion), Spanish squats, vastus medialis training, single-leg hip bridges with the affected leg supported, as well as stretching of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and triceps surae. Phase 2 focuses on gradually increasing load and strengthening exercise intensity. This phase incorporates eccentric and progressive loading movements, such as single-leg squats on a 25° inclined surface, lunges, vastus medialis activation, step-ups, and resistance exercises for the gluteal muscles. Phase 3 is designed to enhance functional capacity and facilitate a gradual return to sport. It involves energy-storage activities like jumping, box jumps, and interval running, with progressive increases in jump height, running distance, and speed. Once all exercises can be completed without knee discomfort for 24 hours, sport-specific training may be gradually

KT-EDF+I-type combined with exercise therapy group; KT-I type combined with exercise therapy group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Doppler ultrasound examination reveals structural tendon changes and/or increased tendon vascularity, or magnetic resonance imaging shows abnormal changes in the patellar tendon area;
• The patient has positive tenderness when pressing vertically upward on the tibial tuberosity;
• The patient has positive knee extension resistance test and/or patellar tendon pain during the single-leg squat test;
• The VISA-P scale score is less than 80 points;
• There is no allergic reaction to kinesio taping.

You may not qualify if:

• History of knee joint trauma;
• History of knee joint surgery;
• Taking painkillers in the past 2 weeks;
• Other knee joint diseases, such as knee osteoarthritis, knee tumors,rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, etc.;
• Allergic reaction to Kinesio taping.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Peking University Third Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Sports Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Sports Injuries

Beijing, Haidian, 100191, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Exercise Therapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 20, 2025
• First Posted: August 27, 2025
• Study Start: August 31, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2025
• Study Completion: December 6, 2025
• Last Updated: December 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)