KT Taping for Chronic Proximal FCL Sprain
Yes, you can order KT taping on a physical therapy prescription for chronic proximal fibular collateral ligament (FCL) sprain, but the evidence supporting its effectiveness is limited and it should only be used as an adjunct to supervised exercise therapy, not as a standalone treatment.
Evidence-Based Rationale for Taping in Knee Ligament Injuries
The available evidence addresses taping primarily in the context of patellofemoral pain and ankle sprains rather than lateral collateral ligament injuries specifically. However, the principles can be extrapolated with important caveats:
When Taping May Be Appropriate
Taping should be considered when rehabilitation is hindered by elevated symptom severity and irritability that prevents the patient from engaging in therapeutic exercises 1.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine guidelines indicate that taping can be used as a supporting approach to facilitate the delivery of primary exercise therapy when clinical reasoning suggests it may improve patient engagement or reduce pain barriers to rehabilitation 1.
Expert consensus suggests taping decisions should be based on contextual factors such as where patients are in their activity season or whether they need short-term symptom relief to participate in rehabilitation 1.
Critical Limitations of the Evidence
For patellofemoral conditions, patellar taping provides short-term pain relief (measured immediately and at 4 days), but this evidence is specific to patellar tracking issues, not lateral ligament injuries 1.
A meta-analysis found that KT had trivial effects on pain relief with no clinically important results across multiple musculoskeletal conditions 2.
Systematic reviews show that taping only works as an adjunct to exercise therapy, not in isolation - one study found mean VAS improvement of 44.9 with tension taping plus exercise versus only 14.1 with taping alone 3.
Recent research demonstrates that adding KT to exercise therapy provided no additional benefits for quadriceps strength, acceleration time, or functional outcomes in knee pain patients 4.
Specific Recommendations for Your Order
Structure your physical therapy order to prioritize supervised exercise therapy with taping as an optional adjunctive modality:
Primary intervention: Supervised strengthening exercises targeting the lateral knee stabilizers, quadriceps, and hip musculature, as exercise therapy has Level 1 evidence for effectiveness 1.
Secondary intervention: KT taping may be applied if the physical therapist determines that pain or instability is preventing effective exercise participation 1.
Reassessment protocol: If favorable outcomes are not observed after a realistic trial period (typically 1-2 weeks), the therapist should discontinue taping and focus exclusively on exercise progression 1.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Do not prescribe taping as the primary or sole intervention - the evidence consistently shows it lacks efficacy when used in isolation 3.
Avoid prolonged reliance on taping - if the patient becomes dependent on tape for symptom control beyond 4-6 weeks, this suggests inadequate rehabilitation progression 1.
Do not assume KT provides mechanical support - research shows its effects are likely sensory/proprioceptive rather than structural, with questionable clinical significance 2, 5.
Alternative Evidence-Based Approaches
For chronic lateral knee ligament injuries, consider prescribing a lace-up or semi-rigid knee brace instead of taping if mechanical support is needed, as bracing has stronger evidence for functional support in ligamentous injuries 6.
The physical therapy order should emphasize proprioception training and neuromuscular control exercises, which have Level 1 evidence for preventing recurrent ligament injuries 6.