Effect Of Knee Osteoarthritis In Treatment Of Modified Kinesio Taping With Combined Chinese And Western Medicine

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of modified Kinesio taping on the functional mobility and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis(KOA)by comparing with the application of Vitex negundo ointment and Kinesio tape(KT).Methods:Eighty-eight qualified patients were randomized to Vitex negundo ointment group(named Traditional Chinese Medicine,TCM group,n=30),a KT group(named Western Medicine,WM group,n=30)and a modified KT group(named Combined Chinese and Western Medicine,CCWM group,n=28)from July 2015 to July 2017.Baseline evaluations included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis scale(WOMAC),TCM quality of life(QOL)and Time Up and Go test(TUGT)for functionality and mobility,as well as the Visual Analog Scale(VAS)for pain.Patching and taping was applied every two days,three times for one course,the total duration of treatment was two courses,and all of the assessments were repeated at both the first time after intervention and the end of the treatment period.Results:(1)There was no statistically significant difference in WOMAC at each time point before and after treatment in TCM group(P>0.05),and patients in other two groups demonstrated large improvement after the first-time intervention and at the end of the treatment period(P<0.01).In addition,patients from CCWM group demonstrated large decrease in WOMAC scores compared with TCM group from the initial taping/patching application(P<0.01)while compared with WM group,the differences just appeared till the end of treatment(P<0.05).(2)All groups exhibited improvement in TCM-QOL scores after two course of treatment(P<0.01),but patients receiving modified Kinesio taping demonstrated large decrease compared with TCM group and WM group.(3)VAS for pain scores were significantly different posttreatment in all three groups(P<0.05),and CCWM group was better than other two groups(P<0.05).(4)The results of TUGT in all groups were no clearly differences before treatment(P>0.05).Otherwise,there were statistically significant improvements in functional mobility in CCWM group than TCM group(P<0.01),but no difference compared with WM group(P>0.05).After the last-time intervention,all groups exhibited significant improvement in TUGT,the rate of improvement of WM group and CCWM group was slower than TCM group,but the results of CCWM group were still slightly better than those of other two groups.Conclusion:(1)As a rehabilitation program,modified Kinesio taping with combination of traditional and western medicine has favorable clinical feasibility and operability,but there is still a need to carry out some further studies as far as its dermal sensitivity was concerned.(2)Modified Kinesio taping resulted in superior effects on physical function,walking task and pain compared with application of Vitex negundo ointment patching and KT in patients with knee osteoarthritis.(3)Modified Kinesio taping has significant immediate effects in the improvement of functional mobility,but in a long-term trend,it maybe not superior to KT.