Effects of Kinesio Taping Versus McConnell Taping on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. (PFPS)

June 25, 2026 updated by: Ahmed ElMelhat, Cairo University

Effects of Kinesio Taping Versus McConnell Taping on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The primary goal of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) is to evaluate whether Kinesio Taping versus McConnell Taping, when integrated into a standardized hip-knee strengthening and neuromuscular control program, produces significant effects in individuals aged 18-50 with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

The main question it aims to answer is: Does Kinesio Taping compared with McConnell Taping when both combined with a standardized hip-knee exercise program, produce different effects on quadriceps neuromuscular activation (VMO-VL sEMG), pain, functional knee pain, and dynamic knee valgus over a 6 week period intervention?

Participants will be divided into three groups for comparison: the control group will receive a structured hip-knee physical therapy exercise program without any taping intervention, Kinesio Taping group with a standardized exercise program, and a McConnell Taping group with a standardized exercise program.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Kinesio Taping and McConnell Taping are commonly used as adjuncts to exercise therapy in the management of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Both techniques have been shown to improve pain and function in the short term; however, evidence directly comparing their long-term effects when combined with a standardized exercise program remains limited. Furthermore, the influence of taping modality on quadriceps muscle activation and lower-limb kinematic patterns during rehabilitation has not been fully established.

Based on this, the investigators hypothesize that both interventions will improve clinical and neuromuscular outcomes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

80

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

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Lebanon
    • Beirut
      • Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, 0000
        • Recruiting
        • PTOC Beirut Arab University
        • Contact:
        • 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

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Anterior or retropatellar pain for a minimum of 3 months during functional activities.
  • 18-50 years of age.
  • Minimum pain of 3/10 on the VAS score.
  • No LL physical therapy in the past 3 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Meniscal or ligamentous injury
  • Neurological or systemic conditions affecting proprioception, coordination and balance.
  • Spinal referred pain or rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Hip and ankle disorders.

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Kinesio Tape Group
The subjects will receive Kinesio Taping combined with the structured exercise program.
Other: Kinesio Taping
Kinesio Taping will be applied to the patellofemoral joint during a 6-week structured hip-knee exercise program.
Other Names:
  • Kinesiology Taping
  • Elastic Kinesio Taping
  • K-Tape
Experimental: McConnell Taping Group
The subjects will receive McConnell Taping combined with the structured exercise program.
Other: McConnell Taping
McConnell Taping will be applied to correct patellar alignment during a 6-week structured hip-knee exercise program.
Other Names:
  • Patellar Taping
  • Non-Elastic Taping
Active Comparator: Exercise Only Group
A standardized hip-knee strengthening and neuromotor training program will be performed for 6 weeks.
Other: Exercise Therapy
A standardized hip-knee strengthening and neuromotor training program will be performed for 6 weeks.
Other Names:
  • Exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
VMO and VL Muscle Activation Amplitude
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Surface electromyography (sEMG) amplitude of the Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO) and Vastus Lateralis (VL) muscles recorded during a standardized single-leg squat task. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation.
Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
VMO/VL Activation Ratio
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Ratio of VMO to VL electromyographic activity during a standardized single-leg squat task. The ideal VMO/VL ratio should be close or equal to 1; a ratio greater than 1 reflects higher VMO activation, while a ratio less than 1 reflects a greater VL activation.
Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
VMO Onset Timing
Time Frame: Baseline to post-intervention (6 weeks).
Period from movement initiation to onset of VMO and VL activation, measured using sEMG during a standardized single-leg squat task; measured in ms.
Baseline to post-intervention (6 weeks).
VMO-VL Activation Delay
Time Frame: Baseline to post-intervention (6 weeks).
Difference in activation onset timing between the VMO and VL muscles during a standardized single-leg squat task, measured using sEMG; measured in ms.
Baseline to post-intervention (6 weeks).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain Intensity
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Task-specific pain intensity measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst imaginable pain; measured during a standardized single-leg squat, reflecting pain experienced during functional loading.
Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Functional Knee Pain
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Knee-related symptoms and functional disability assessed using the Kujala Score (AKPS), ranging from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicating better knee function and lower disability.
Baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks).
Dynamic Knee Valgus
Time Frame: Baseline and post intervention (6 weeks).
Frontal-plane projection angle in degrees, measured during a standardized single-leg squat to quantify lower-limb movement quality and dynamic knee control under functional load.
Baseline and post intervention (6 weeks).

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Cairo University

Investigators

  • Study Director: Ahmed El Melhat, PhD, Cairo University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 19, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 25, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • KT vs McT and exercise in PFPS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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