Comparing the immediate effects of knee bracing V/S patellar taping on ground reaction force in chronic knee Osteoarthrosis: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Osteoarthrosis (OA) is a prevalent disorder among the elderly, causing disability and significant health issues. Knee OA, affecting articular cartilage and subchondral bone, is particularly common in the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joints. Decreased quadriceps strength is a key factor in OA progression, impacting daily activities. Conservative management includes various modalities such as kinesio-taping (KT) and knee bracing, but their immediate effects on ground reaction forces (GRF) in knee OA patients remain unexplored. Methods: This randomized clinical trial enrolled 42 medically diagnosed grade II knee OA patients. Participants were divided into 2 groups: Group A received patellar KT, and Group B received knee bracing. The immediate effects on GRF during sit-to-stand, stair climbing, and stair descending were measured using a force plate. Data analysis involved Wilcoxon Signed Rank and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: While both interventions showed low significance, patellar KT demonstrated more notable results. Group A exhibited significant improvement in sit-to-stand GRF (p = 0.006) and stair-descending COP (p = 0.001). Knee bracing in Group B showed significant results only in stair-descending GRF (p = 0.019). No significant differences were observed in baseline and post-intervention COP between groups. Conclusion: This study suggests that patellar KT may have more immediate positive effects on GRF in knee OA patients during specific activities compared to knee bracing. However, the limitations, including a small sample size and short-term analysis, must be considered. Future research with larger, more diverse populations and long-term follow-ups is required to comprehensively understand the effectiveness of such interventions in knee OA management.