Rocktape provides no benefit over sham taping in people with knee osteoarthritis who are completing an exercise program: a randomised trial.

Objectives: To investigate if Rocktape combined with exercise is more effective than exercise and sham taping in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Design: Single institution, prospective, participant and assessor blinded, randomised study.

Setting: Outpatient physiotherapy department of a tertiary hospital.

Participants: Thirty-six patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Intervention: Participants were randomised to either; 1) Rocktape plus exercise or 2) sham taping plus exercise.

Main Outcome Measures: A linear mixed-effect model was used to assess differences between groups over time for the primary outcome measure (VAS at rest and movement) as well as the secondary outcome measures. Secondary measures included the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), 30second sit to stand, 40m walk and stair climb tests. Exercise adherence and analgesia use were recorded via a diary. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately prior to the first tape application and immediately following first taping (both at one week after baseline), then two and five weeks after first tape application.

Results: There were no between group differences over time in pain at rest [median Rocktape group 0.035 (IQR -0.1 to 3.0) vs median sham 0 (IQR 0 to 1.6) mean adj diff (0.053, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.27)] or with movement [median tape group 2.45 (IQR -0.5 to 4.8) vs median sham 2.0 (IQR 0.8 to 4.1) mean adj diff 0.072, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.35]. There were no significant differences between groups in any of the KOOS subscales or performance-based tests administered over time. Pain on movement significantly improved over time in both groups, whilst pain at rest only improved at the final time point.

Conclusion: There was no additional benefit of Rocktape over sham tape in patients with knee osteoarthritis who were completing a home exercise program over five weeks.

Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry (#NCT02049216).