The effect of kinesiotaping on the temperature distribution and intensity of pain at the site of application. A randomized clinical trial.

60 patients after total knee arthroplasty will be randomly selected and divided into one of two groups. After randomization, 30 subjects will be included in the experimental group.In this group, Kinesio Tape ( K-Active Tape produced by Nitto Denko) will be applied. Each patient will have KT lymphatic application(fan strips or edema strips). These strips have a short solid end with the rest of the tape separated into thin strips. They are called fan strips because they are applied in a fan-like pattern over the area of swelling or bruising. This lifts the skin over the lymphatic channels in the area, assisting them in removing excess fluids. Tape will be applied without tension around knee joint in a standing position. No tension means applying the tape directly to the skin as it comes off the paper backing The control group will be consisted of 30participants both sexes. In this group, Matopat Classic adhesive tape, produced by TZMO SA, will be used in a simillar fashion. The K-Active/ Matopat Classic adhesive tape will be applied several days after the surgery, after removing the sutures and healing the postoperative wound. The basic condition for including this therapy will be pain and swelling in the area of the operated knee. The "fan strips" will be applied in the same manner as in the both groups. "Fan strips" will be put in the area of knee diagonally on both sides of a knee, as the strips would cross. All taping applications will be applied in both groups by a certified KT physiotherapist. Nevertheless, the tape applications in experimental and placebo groups will be looked very similar. Only one difference will be color of the tape, pink in the experimental and white in the placebo group. The tapes will be left on the patient’s skin for the next five days. thermograms, pain intensity and swelling in the area of the operated knee will be assesed before taping (1st day) and immendently after removing tapes (5th day) Only participants with a body mass index above 24 kg/m2 will be excluded in the study to eliminate thermal distortions caused by excess adipose tissue. To ensure accurate thermal readings, certain study constraints and conditions will be maintained. European Association o Thermology guidelines for thermal imaging, preparation of the study protocol, recording and archiving data will be followed to ensure proper testing conditions. Prior to infrared thermal measurements, participants will not ingest any food, drugs, or hot liquids and did not take part in strenuous physical activities. All patients qualified to the study will be asked to assessed the pain intensity of the operated knee joint on the VAS scale before and after taping.