Kinesiotaping following primary total knee arthroplasty : Alevel I evidence-based meta-analysis
Filippo Migliorini1,2,3,4, Luise Schäfer5, Tommaso Bardazzi6
1Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital of Halle, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Street 40, 06097, Halle (Saale), Germany. filippo.migliorini@uk-halle.de.
Introduction:
Kinesiotaping (KT) has gained popularity in rehabilitation and sports medicine, reducing pain, improving range of motion (ROM) and enhancing proprioception; however, there is no recommendation in support of KT following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and the evidence is controversial. The present meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of KT after primary TKA. The outcomes of interest are the improvement in ROM and pain using the visual analogue scale (VAS).
Methods:
This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the 2020 PRISMA statement. In December 2025, the following databases were accessed: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase. No time constraint was set for the search. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing KT versus a group of patients who did not undergo KT following TKA were accessed. Only studies with level I evidence, according to the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine, were considered.
Results:
Data from 374 TKAs were retrieved and 85% (313 of 374 patients) were women. The mean follow-up length was 35.6 ± 33.8 days. The mean age of the patients was 67.1 ± 2.8 years and the mean BMI was 30.5 ± 1.6 kg/m2. At baseline, between-group comparability was evidenced in the male:female ratio, mean age, mean BMI, knee flexion and VAS. No differences were found in flexion (P = 0.8) and VAS (P = 0.6).
Conclusion:
The current level of evidence does not support the use of KT in primary TKA. Additional RCTs are necessary to establish the potential of KT in primary TKA.
Level Of Evidence:
level I, meta-analysis of RCTs.
