Dry Needling and Kinesio Taping as Adjuncts to Strength Training on Pain, Functional Mobility, and Quality of Life in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Comparative Effects of Dry Needling and Kinesio Taping as Adjuncts to Strength Training on Pain, Functional Mobility, and Quality of Life in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

To compare the effects of dry needling and Kinesio taping, each combined with strength training, on pain, functional mobility, and quality of life in patients with knee OA.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Dry Needling Combined with Strength Training; Behavioral: Kinesio Taping Combined with Strength Training; Behavioral: Strength Training

Detailed Description

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative joint condition characterized by pain, myofascial trigger points, muscular weakness, and impaired functional mobility, ultimately affecting quality of life. Strength training is widely recommended as a first-line conservative treatment; however, residual pain and myofascial dysfunction may limit optimal recovery. Dry needling has been shown to deactivate trigger points and reduce local muscle hypertonicity, while Kinesio taping is proposed to modulate pain and support proprioception and muscle function through cutaneous and fascial mechanisms. Comparative evidence on the added benefit of these two adjunct techniques alongside strength training in knee OA remains scarce.

Objective: To compare the effects of dry needling and Kinesio taping, each combined with strength training, on pain, functional mobility, and quality of life in patients with knee OA.

Methodology: A three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted on 50 participants diagnosed with knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade II-III), randomly allocated into three groups using a computer-generated random sequence with allocation concealment. Group A received dry needling combined with strength training, Group B received Kinesio taping combined with strength training, and Group C received strength training alone as the control group. Interventions were administered three times per week for 6 weeks. Outcome measures included the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test for functional mobility, and the WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life, assessed at baseline and post-intervention (6 weeks). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and post-hoc comparisons, with significance set at p<0.05.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Sindh
    • Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
      • FMRL

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Patient with knee osteoarthritis, Age between 45-65 years, VAS 7 or above.

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Exclusion Criteria: Known allergic conditions, refused to give written consent to participate in the study not fallen in inclusion criteria.

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dry Needling Combined with Strength Training; Dry Needling Combined with Strength Training: Interventions were administered three times per week for 6 weeks	Behavioral: Dry Needling Combined with Strength Training; Dry Needling Combined with Strength Training were administered three times per week for 6 weeks
Experimental: Kinesio Taping Combined with Strength Training; Kinesio Taping Combined with Strength Training: Interventions were administered three times per week for 6 weeks	Behavioral: Kinesio Taping Combined with Strength Training; Kinesio Taping Combined with Strength Training were administered three times per week for 6 weeks
Experimental: Strength Training; Strength Training: Interventions were administered three times per week for 6 weeks	Behavioral: Strength Training; Strength Training were administered three times per week for 6 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)	The value were taken at base line and after 6 weeks of intervention	6 weeks
Timed Up and Go (TUG)	The value were taken at base line and after 6 weeks of intervention	6 weeks
WHOQOL-BREF	The value were taken at base line and after 6 weeks of intervention	6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Foundation of Medical Research and Laboratories, Pakistan
• Investigators: Study Director: Malika Hassan, fmr.labs@medicalresearchforum.net

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 11, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Knee osteoarthritis; Dry needling; Kinesio taping; Strength training; Quality of life
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Patient Care; Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Resistance Training
• Other Study ID Numbers: FMRL_04_26

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