Purpose: observe the influence of kinesio taping on interleukin -1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3). Method: select 60 eligible athletes with early meniscus injury and then divide them into a control group and a test group by random number table. The test group was treated by kinesio tape, while the control group was treated by non-elastic placebo tape that had the same appearance. These two groups were replaced with the tapes once every two days and one course of treatment was 15 times. Joint fluid was respectively extracted from all the patients one week before and after the treatment to carry out the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and thus detect the content of IL-1β, TNF-α and MMP-3 in the joint fluid. Then the content was evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) one week after the treatment. Results: after the patients in the test group received treatment, the content of IL-1β, TNF-α and MMP-3 in the joint fluid was lower than the level before the treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05); after the patients in the test group received treatment, the content of IL-1β, TNF-α and MMP-3 in the joint fluid was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05); and after the patients in the test group received treatment, the score of VAS was higher than that of the test group before the treatment and than that of the control group after the treatment, and the difference was statistically significant ((P＜0.05)). Conclusion: the treatment by kinesio tape can obviously reduce the content of IL-1β, TNF-α and MMP-3 in the joint fluid of athlete with early meniscus injury, restrain the inflammation inside the athlete’s joint cavity and facilitate the restoration of knee joint function.

Xiaodong Feng, Influence of Kinesio Taping on the Level of Inflammatory Factors in the Joint Fluid of Athletes with Early Meniscus Injury. Frontiers in Sport Research (2019) Vol. 1 Issue 2: 10-15. https://doi.org/10.25236/FSR.20190203.

[1] Williams S Whatman C, Hume PA, et al.(2012), Kinesio Taping in treatment and prevention of sports injuries, Sports Med, vol. 42, no.2, pp. 153-164.
[2] Jongbloed L, van Twist D, Swart N(2016). Kinesio Taping improves pain, range of motion, and proprioception in older patients with knee osteoarthritis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil, vol. 95, no.1, pp.12-18.
[3] Yu Bo, Chen Wenhua, Wang Renwei, et al. (2016), Observation of curative effect on refractory external humeral epicondylitis by kinesio taping combined with extracorporeal shock wave, Chinese Journal Of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 38, no.5, pp. 381-383.
[4] Liu Ying(2016). Rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis in the elderly, Chinese Journal of Geriatrics, vol. 35, no.1, pp. 1-3.