Effects of Kinesiotaping in Osteoarthritis (Taping)

May 20, 2026 updated by: Nazli Cigercioglu

Effects of Adding Kinesiotaping to Conventional Physiotherapy on Pain, Function, and Kinesiophobia in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Knee osteoarthritis will be recognized as a leading cause of pain and functional disability, and conventional physiotherapy will remain a cornerstone of its management. Kinesiotaping will be widely used as an adjunct intervention; however, its additional benefit beyond standard rehabilitation programs will remain unclear.

This study will aim to investigate the additional effects of kinesiotaping combined with a conventional physiotherapy and rehabilitation program on pain, functional status, and kinesiophobia in individuals with unilateral knee osteoarthritis.

A total of 60 participants with unilateral knee osteoarthritis will be included in this randomized controlled trial and will be assigned to either a conventional physiotherapy (CP) group or a kinesiotaping (KT) group. Both groups will receive a 4-week (12 sessions) physiotherapy program including ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, patellofemoral mobilization, and exercise. Kinesiotaping will be applied every 3 days in the KT group. Outcome measures will include pain (VAS), kinesiophobia (TSK, FABQ), functional performance (30-s sit-to-stand, stair climb test), dynamic balance (functional reach), and WOMAC.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Knee osteoarthritis will be recognized as a leading cause of pain and functional disability, and conventional physiotherapy will remain a cornerstone of its management. Kinesiotaping will be widely used as an adjunct intervention; however, its additional benefit beyond standard rehabilitation programs will remain unclear.

This study will aim to investigate the additional effects of kinesiotaping combined with a conventional physiotherapy and rehabilitation program on pain, functional status, and kinesiophobia in individuals with unilateral knee osteoarthritis.

A total of 60 participants with unilateral knee osteoarthritis will be included in this randomized controlled trial and will be assigned to either a conventional physiotherapy (CP) group or a kinesiotaping (KT) group. Both groups will receive a 4-week (12 sessions) physiotherapy program including ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, patellofemoral mobilization, and exercise. Kinesiotaping will be applied every 3 days in the KT group. Outcome measures will include pain (VAS), kinesiophobia (TSK, FABQ), functional performance (30-s sit-to-stand, stair climb test), dynamic balance (functional reach), and WOMAC.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of unilateral grade 2 knee osteoarthritis,
  • Age between 40 and 65 years,
  • Ability to understand and comply with assessments and interventions,
  • Independent ambulation without assistive devices,
  • No participation in a physiotherapy program for knee-related complaints within the previous year

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of lower extremity surgery or trauma,
  • Presence of neurological or orthopedic conditions affecting gait or physical function,
  • Allergic reaction to kinesiotape,
  • Inability to walk independently.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Kinesiotaping
Other: Kinesiotaping
Kinesiotaping

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Kinesiophobia
Time Frame: 4 weeks
Kinesiophobia will evaluated using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ). The TSK is a 17-item questionnaire scored on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree), with total scores ranging from 17 to 68, where higher scores indicate greater fear of movement. The FABQ assesses fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity and has been widely used in musculoskeletal disorders.
4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain intensity
Time Frame: 4 weeks
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a 10-cm horizontal line ranging from "no pain" (0) to "worst imaginable pain" . Participants will be asked to indicate the intensity of their knee pain during activity, and the marked distance will be measured in centimeters
4 weeks
Functional status
Time Frame: 4 weeks
Functional status will be assessed using performance-based tests. The 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test will be used to evaluate lower extremity muscle strength and endurance. Participants will be instructed to stand up and sit down as many times as possible within 30 seconds, and the total number of repetitions will be recorded .
4 weeks
Functional mobility
Time Frame: 4 weeks
The 12-Step Stair Climb Test will be used to assess functional mobility and lower limb performance. Participants will be asked to ascend and descend a 12-step staircase as quickly and safely as possible, and the total time taken to complete the task will be recorded in seconds .
4 weeks
Dynamic balance
Time Frame: 4 weeks
Dynamic balance will be evaluated using the Functional Reach Test. Participants will be instructed to stand upright and reach forward as far as possible without losing balance or taking a step. The maximum distance reached will be measured in centimeters .
4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Nazli Cigercioglu

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Cigercioglu, Hacettepe University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

June 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 20, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 20, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 20, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 20, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • OA_RCS_2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

It will be provided upon request if deemed necessary.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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