Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common cause of anterior knee pain in young adults and is typically managed with exercise-based rehabilitation. Kinesiology taping (KT) is frequently used as an adjunct, but its added value over best-practice exercise therapy remains uncertain.

Objectives: To evaluate whether KT provides additional benefit when combined with a standardized hip- and knee-focused exercise programme compared with sham taping plus exercise and exercise alone in individuals with PFPS.

Methods: In this randomized, three-arm, parallel-group controlled trial, 90 adults aged 18-40 years with clinically diagnosed PFPS were allocated to KT plus exercise (KT+EX), sham taping plus exercise (SHAM+EX) or exercise alone (EX). All groups received a 12-week supervised exercise programme targeting quadriceps, hip abductors and external rotators, core stability, flexibility and functional task retraining. KT and sham taping were applied using standardized protocols during the first 6 weeks. Primary outcomes were worst anterior knee pain (10-cm visual analogue scale, VAS) and knee-related function (Kujala score), assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks by blinded assessors. Secondary outcomes included pain during functional tasks, hip and knee strength, responder status (combined clinically meaningful improvements in VAS and Kujala) and global rating of change. Analyses followed an intention-to-treat approach using mixed-model repeated-measures statistics. The KT+EX group demonstrated greater reductions in pain and larger functional gains than SHAM+EX and EX, supported by significant time × group interactions for both primary outcomes.

Conclusion: A comprehensive, hip- and knee-focused exercise programme produced substantial clinical improvements in PFPS, confirming exercise therapy as the cornerstone of management. The addition of KT yielded small to moderate incremental benefits in pain relief and functional recovery and may be used as a targeted adjunct to facilitate early symptom reduction and exercise participation, but should not replace core exercise and education components.