Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a neuromuscular control exercise program for knee joint using non-elastic taping on pain, functional disability, quality of life, balance ability, thickness, and contraction ratio of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscles in adults aged 65 years and older with knee osteoarthritis.
Objects: A total of 46 elderly individuals aged 65 years and older with knee osteoarthritis participated in the study. Using a randomization process, participants were allocated into an experimental group (n=23) and a control group (n=23). Both groups underwent a knee joint neuromuscular control exercise program. In addition, the experimental group received a non-elastic taping application, while the control group received sham taping. All interventions were conducted for approximately 30 minutes per session, three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (K-WOMAC), Euro Quality of Life 5 Dimension (EQ-5D), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), muscle thickness, and contraction ratio were measured before and after the intervention to compare the effects.
Results: Both groups showed significant differences in VAS, K-WOMAC, EQ-5D, BBS, muscle thickness, and contraction ratio before and after intervention (p<0.05). In addition, the experimental group showed more significant differences in the amount of change in K-WOMAC stiffness, K-WOMAC function, EQ-5D, BBS, muscle thickness, and contraction ratio values than the control group.
Conclusion: A neuromuscular control exercise program using non-elastic taping for knee joints is an effective intervention method for improving knee joint pain, function, quality of life, balance ability, muscle thickness and contraction ratio in elderly patients aged 65 years, and older with knee osteoarthritis.