BACKGROUND: Various techniques are available for physiotherapy treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Taping is one, but its efficacy is controversial. Critical assessment must guide the physiotherapist in choosing whether or not to use this technique, without being swayed by fashion. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare pain-relieving effects in the McConnell and Kinesio-Taping techniques in the management of patellofemoral pain syndrome. METHOD: Studies assessing either type of taping were retrieved from the Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus and PEDro databases. Those assessing pain, with precise inclusion criteria, were included. Internal validity was assessed using the PEDro scale. Results were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Nineteen studies fulfilled inclusion and quality criteria. McConnell taping appeared to be the better choice in relieving pain, providing that baseline patellar malalignment is assessed and corrected using a tailored tape. Kinesio-Taping provided positive effects on pain in pretest-posttest designs, but results were poorly significant when compared against control groups. Few high-quality studies were retrieved, and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. CONCLUSION: McConnell taping provides positive pain reduction in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome; studies with adequate level of evidence are lacking to demonstrate efficacy in Kinesio-Taping. However, outcomes other than pain relief are also relevant to the physiotherapist's choices. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1.

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