Patellar taping in the treatment of patellofemoral pain. A prospective randomized study

The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of a patellar taping program in the conservative management of patellofemoral pain. Twenty-five patients with patellofemoral pain were randomized into two groups. One group underwent a standard physical therapy program for patellofemoral pain. The other group underwent the same physical therapy program, but use of a patellar taping technique was added to this program. Results of a subjective visual analog scale and changes in isokinetic strength and electromyographic activity of the quadriceps muscle were analyzed. Both the tape and no-tape groups experienced a statistically significant decrease in symptoms (P < 0.05), but no difference in improvement of patellofemoral pain was noted between the groups. Likewise, both groups demonstrated significant improvement in quadriceps muscle isokinetic strength (P < 0.05) and activity (P < 0.001), but no difference in improvement was noted between groups. The results of this study suggest no beneficial effect of adding a patellar taping program to a standard physical therapy program in the conservative treatment of patellofemoral pain. Larger prospective studies are warranted to support this opinion.