A study on the effects of elastic and inelastic taping on knee joint kinematics during stair descent

Abstract

Background: During knee flexion and extension, imbalance in the forces controlling the patella can cause lateral displacement of the patella, resulting in abnormal loading on the femoral groove and leading to anterior knee pain (AKP). Management of AKP is typically non-surgical. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of inelastic and elastic taping on knee kinematics during stair descent. Aim: To examine the effects of elastic and inelastic taping on knee joint kinematics during stair descent. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 female participants were recruited. Each participant descended a standardized 20 cm step while being recorded from sagittal and frontal plan using high-speed cameras. Three test conditions were assessed: no taping, elastic taping, and non-elastic taping. Motion analysis was performed using the “Motion Analysis Image J” program to measure knee flexion range of motion, knee valgus angle, Q-angle, and pelvic drop. Results: The mean knee flexion angles were 61.47±5.72 degree (no taping), 61.35±6.33 degree (elastic taping), and 60.21±8.60 degree (inelastic taping), with no significant difference (p=0.305). However, the knee Q-angle differed significantly among conditions: 20.97±11.31 degree (no taping), 20.34±9.10 degree (elastic taping), and 10.16±7.24 degree (inelastic taping) (p=0.001). Knee valgus angle also showed significant differences (8.14±5.72 degree p=0.001). Pelvic drop angles were 10.19±6.31 degree (no taping), 9.06±5.31 degree (elastic taping), and 5.17±4.15 (inelastic taping), with p=0.001, indicating statistical significance. Conclusion: During stair descent, the use of inelastic taping reduces the knee valgus angle, whereas elastic taping is more effective in reducing pelvic drop. Both elastic and inelastic taping reduced the knee Q-angle to a similar extent compared to the no-tape condition; however, neither had an effect on knee flexion range of motion. These findings suggest that inelastic taping is more effective for controlling excessive knee valgus, while elastic taping is more effective for improving pelvic stability during daily activities.