Effect of Kinesio Taping in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis

The primary outcome will pain assessed by the NPRS, whereby participants were asked to choose a number between 0 (no pain) and 10 (worst pain possible). They will instructed to report the level of pain while sitting and rising from a chair.

The pain of the volunteers will be indirectly measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), which varies from 0 to 10 (unbearable pain) (SCOTT and HUSKISSON, 1976) . The pain will be measured during the activity of climbing stairs. The patient will be directed to go up and down a staircase with two steps. Initially a volunteer will become familiarized. Volunteers will be guided to perform a normal collective activity (the way they are done in the day). In order to, a voluntary test measure will be used while using an VAS. In VAS, the lower the value, the less the pain sensation realatable by the patient and the higher the value, the greater the pain sensation.

The primary outcome will pain assessed by the NPRS, whereby participants were asked to choose a number between 0 (no pain) and 10 (worst pain possible). They will instructed to report the level of pain while sitting and rising from a chair.

To perform perimetry, a tape measure will be used to measure the perimeter of the assessed limb. For this, the volunteer will be placed in dorsal decubitus with hip in neutral position, extended knees and relaxed quadriceps. In this position, the evaluator will measure the knee at three specific points: the fold of the popliteal fossa, 5 cm above and 5 cm below. Each level will be evaluated three times and the average of the measurements will be used for analysis.

To perform perimetry, a tape measure will be used to measure the perimeter of the assessed limb. For this, the volunteer will be placed in dorsal decubitus with hip in neutral position, extended knees and relaxed quadriceps. In this position, the evaluator will measure the knee at three specific points: the fold of the popliteal fossa, 5 cm above and 5 cm below. Each level will be evaluated three times and the average of the measurements will be used for analysis.

The isometric strength of the femoral quadriceps will evaluated using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD; Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester, Lafayette Instrument Company, Lafayette, Indiana, USA). The participant will placed in the sitting position on a stretcher, with arms crossed over chest. An ankle stabilization belt will placed on the evaluated limb to maintain hip and knee flexion at 90°. The HHD will placed 2 cm proximal to the lateral malleolus midpoint, in the anterior region of the ankle (between the malleoli). Maximum isometric strength will then measured in 5-second knee extensions, with continuous verbal encouragement. Subjects perform one practice trial, rested for 30 s and then carried out the three measured trials, the strongest of which will use for data analysis. The results of all trials [kg] will transformed into Newtons (Strength[N] = strength [kg] x 9.81) and normalized by body mass (Normalized Strength [N/kg] = Strength [N] ÷ Body Mass[kg]).

The isometric strength of the femoral quadriceps will evaluated using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD; Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester, Lafayette Instrument Company, Lafayette, Indiana, USA). The participant will placed in the sitting position on a stretcher, with arms crossed over chest. An ankle stabilization belt will placed on the evaluated limb to maintain hip and knee flexion at 90°. The HHD will placed 2 cm proximal to the lateral malleolus midpoint, in the anterior region of the ankle (between the malleoli). Maximum isometric strength will then measured in 5-second knee extensions, with continuous verbal encouragement. Subjects perform one practice trial, rested for 30 s and then carried out the three measured trials, the strongest of which will use for data analysis. The results of all trials [kg] will transformed into Newtons (Strength[N] = strength [kg] x 9.81) and normalized by body mass (Normalized Strength [N/kg] = Strength [N] ÷ Body Mass[kg]).

Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) is a reliable and validated instrument for the Portuguese language that contains 24 questions divided into three categories: pain (5 questions), rigidity (2 questions) and self-reported physical function (17 questions). The items are evaluated by a Likert scale and each question receives a score ranging from 0 to 96, according to the patient's response. The higher the score obtained, the worse is the severity of the disease (BELLAMY et al., 1988).

Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) is a reliable and validated instrument for the Portuguese language that contains 24 questions divided into three categories: pain (5 questions), rigidity (2 questions) and self-reported physical function (17 questions). The items are evaluated by a Likert scale and each question receives a score ranging from 0 to 96, according to the patient's response. The higher the score obtained, the worse is the severity of the disease (BELLAMY et al., 1988).

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) will follow the recommendations of the American Thoracic Society (2002). A distance of 30 meters will be demarcated by two cones (one in the initial mark and the other in the final mark). The volunteers will be instructed to walk the greatest number of times the distance marked for six minutes and, at the end of this time, the distance traveled will be measured, in this case, the greater the distance covered, the better the patient's function.

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) will follow the recommendations of the American Thoracic Society (2002). A distance of 30 meters will be demarcated by two cones (one in the initial mark and the other in the final mark). The volunteers will be instructed to walk the greatest number of times the distance marked for six minutes and, at the end of this time, the distance traveled will be measured, in this case, the greater the distance covered, the better the patient's function.

This will assessed via the patient global impression of change. The measure is recommended by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials group and targets four different domains: pain, function, quality of life, and global condition, measured using a 7-point scale (from 'considerably improved' to 'considerably deteriorated').