The effect of medial patellar taping on pain, strength and neuromuscular recruitment in subjects with and without patellofemoral pain

Janet H.L. Keet, Janine Gray, Yolande Harley and Mike I. Lambert

This study explored the effect of medial patellar taping on these parameters in physically active subjects with and without patellofemoral pain. Fifteen subjects with patellofemoral pain (experimental group) and 20 subjects without patellofemoral pain (healthy cohort) had pain perception, quadriceps force output and electromyographic (EMG) data collected during maximal quadriceps strength testing and submaximal step testing for each intervention. The subjects were tested during three different knee taping conditions: (1) no tape; (2) placebo tape; and (3) medial tape, in a randomised order.  The authors concluded that although taping did not reduce pain in the patellofemoral pain group, it did enhance the efficiency of the vastus medialus oblique. Future studies should determine whether there are clinical benefits to these findings.

Physiotherapy, Volume 93, Issue 1, March 2007, Pages 45-52

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