Effect of patellar taping on vasti onset timing, knee kinematics, and kinetics in asymptomatic individuals with a delayed onset of vastus medialis oblique

Abstract

This randomized within-subject study investigated the effects of patellar tape on the onset of electromyographic (EMG) activity of vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) relative to vastus lateralis (VL), knee kinematics, and kinetics in 12 currently asymptomatic individuals with a VMO timing deficit and a history of patellofemoral pain. Participants were required to complete stair stepping and normal-pace and fast-pace walking tasks under three experimental conditions; no tape, control tape and therapeutic tape. EMG onsets of VMO and VL were measured by surface electrodes, stance phase knee flexion by the PEAK movement analysis system and vertical ground reaction force by a force plate. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed that neither therapeutic tape nor control tape had any effect on the EMG VMO-VL onset timing difference. Therapeutic tape, but not control tape, led to significant increases in stance phase knee flexion. The first peak vertical ground reaction force was lowered by both control and therapeutic tape but only during fast walking. The results suggest that tape induced effects on neuromotor control of the vasti seen in other studies are related to reductions in pain rather than the presence of a baseline timing deficit. However, this cannot explain the improvements in stance phase knee flexion observed with tape. ß

Analysis of the center of pressure displacement, ground reaction force and muscular activity during step exercises

“…Thus, the painful condition was capable of modifying the gait pattern in these individuals. These results were also observed by other authors even for rapid evaluation of fast walking (Bennell et al, 2006) and also during the step up (Stacoff et al, 2007).…”

Factors associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review

“…A case–control study on treatment for PFPS patients compared patellar taping with no tape and found that the onset timing of VMO and VL changed in patients with patellar taping 80. The mechanism by which knee taping may affect neuromotor control was examined in another study, suggesting that taping reduced the pain in PFPS patients and consequently leads to changes in onset timing 81. Therefore, the changed onset timing might be a consequence of pain and it remains unclear as to which mechanism is involved in the development of pain in PFPS and therefore further research is necessary.…”

Effect of shoulder taping on maximum shoulder external and internal rotation range in uninjured and previously injured overhead athletes during a seated throw

“…Only a few studies examined the effect of tape on a pain free, previously injured group. Bennell et al29 found that therapeutic tape, not placebo tape, when applied to the patella of previously symptomatic patellofemoral pain subjects, resulted in increased knee flexion in the stance phase of gait. Similarly, Kilbreath et al30 found that therapeutic gluteal taping, not placebo taping, improved hip extension at the end of single support in subjects who had experienced a stroke between 2 and 10 years previously.…”