Effects of taping in patellofemoral pain syndrome: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PPS) is defined as a condition in the patellofemoral joint that can present with pain, functional deficit, crepitus, and instability. Its etiology appears to lie in excessive loading of the patellofemoral joint due to mispositioning of the patella. The application of taping has recently increased, to manage PPS. However, the level of scientific evidence in this sense is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of different types of taping in subjects with PPS. METHODS: A bibliographic search was carried out in January and February 2021 in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, SPORTDiscus, PEDro and CINAHL. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included for qualitative analysis. The mean score on the PEDro scale was 5.30 points. Most of the articles reflect a decrease in pain after the taping intervention, while variables such as functionality, muscle activity and biomechanical modification do not show positive effects. CONCLUSION: Taping appears to have positive effects on pain in subjects with PPS. However, the evidence is contradictory with the rest of the variables studied.