THE EFFECTS OF PATELLAR TAPING ON STRIDE CHARACTERISTICS AND JOINT MOTION IN SUBJECTS WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN

Although patellar taping has been reported to be effective in reducing pain, the effects of this procedure on functional outcomes, such as a mbulation, have not been documented. The purpose of this study was to compare stride characteristics and joint motion in subjects with patel lofemoral pain, with and without the application of patellar taping us ing the McConnell technique. Fifteen female subjects between the ages of 14 and 41 years with a diagnosis of patellofemoral pain participate d in this study. Stride characteristics (Stride Analyzer) and sagittal plane joint motion (VICON) were recorded simultaneously during taped and untaped trials of free walking, last walking, and ascending and de scending a ramp and stairs. A repeated measures analysis of variance w as used to determine differences between taped and untaped trials. Alt hough subjects reported an average pain reduction of 78% using a visua l analogue scale, the only significant change in stride characteristic s was an increase in stride length during ramp ascent Patellar taping did, however, result in a small but significant increase in loading re sponse knee flexion across ail conditions tested We believe this findi ng demonstrates more willingness by the patellofemoral pain subjects t o load the knee joint, thus permitting increased shock absorption, inc reased quadriceps activity, and tolerance of increased patellofemoral joint reaction force.