Study: Looser Elastic Bandage Can Reduce Pain of Knee Osteoarthritis

The use of a looser elastic bandage around the knee than the size that that would typically be prescribed by a physiotherapist can reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis, according to researchers at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.

The degree of pain reduction depends upon the size of the bandage used, researchers reported in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Researchers studied 68 patients (49 women; average age 67.1 years) with knee osteoarthritis. The participants were randomly assigned to either wear a standard size elastic bandage or a looser bandage. The patients all switched to the opposite bandage size after two weeks.

Patients were measured for their level of knee pain, knee proprioception (muscle stretch, joint position, tendon tension), and postural sway with each size bandage. Assessments were made at the start of the study, 20 minutes after the bandages were applied and again immediately after the bandages were removed for both bandage size applications.

The standard bandage did not have any effect on knee pain, proprioception, or postural sway. The looser bandage reduced knee pain significantly, improved postural sway but had no significant influence on proprioception.

"In subjects with knee osteoarthritis, application of an elastic bandage around the knee can reduce knee pain and improve postural sway," concluded the researchers. "This outcome depends on the size of the applied bandage."

Other sources: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases