Effect of elastic taping on postural control deficits in subjects with healthy ankles, copers, and individuals with functional ankle instability. 2013

Christina A Shields, and Alan R Needle, and William C Rose, and Charles B Swanik, and Thomas W Kaminski
Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

BACKGROUND Ankle sprains are the most common injury among physically active people, with common sequelae including repeated episodes of giving way, termed functional ankle instability. Copers are a cohort in ankle research comprised of those who have sprained their ankle but have not suffered any further dysfunction. The use of an elastic tape, Kinesio Tape, in sports medicine practice has recently gained popularity and may help improve postural control deficits related to functional ankle instability. The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate and prolonged effects of Kinesio Taping on postural control in healthy, coper, and unstable ankles as measured through single-limb balance on a force plate. METHODS Sixty physically active, college-aged participants (72.5 ± 9.7 cm, 74.2 ± 16.2 kg, 21.5 ± 2.6 years) were stratified into healthy, coper, or unstable groups using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) combined with their history of ankle injury. Dependent variables included time-to-boundary (TTB) measures and traditional center of pressure (COP) measures in both the mediolateral (frontal) and anteroposterior (sagittal) planes. Testing was performed prior to tape application, immediately after application of the tape, 24 hours following tape application, and immediately after tape removal. RESULTS Significant differences between groups were observed for COP standard deviation and range in the sagittal plane. Significant differences between tape conditions for TTB absolute minima and standard deviation were also noted. Post hoc testing revealed large to medium effect sizes for the group differences and very small effect sizes for the differences between conditions. CONCLUSIONS Our study did not reveal decisively relevant changes following application of Kinesio Tape to the ankle. However, we did observe sagittal plane postural control deficits in subjects with ankle instability measured through summary COP variables over 20-second trials. CONCLUSIONS Ankle instability is a concern for many clinicians. Kinesio Taping, although a popular form of clinical intervention, remains understudied. Evidence from this study does not support the use of Kinesio Taping for improving postural control deficits in those with ankle instability.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007593 Joint Instability Lack of stability of a joint or joint prosthesis. Hypermobility, Joint,Instability, Joint,Laxity, Joint,Hypermobilities, Joint,Instabilities, Joint,Joint Hypermobilities,Joint Hypermobility,Joint Instabilities,Joint Laxities,Joint Laxity,Laxities, Joint
D011187 Posture The position or physical attitude of the body. Postures
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000843 Ankle Joint The joint that is formed by the inferior articular and malleolar articular surfaces of the TIBIA; the malleolar articular surface of the FIBULA; and the medial malleolar, lateral malleolar, and superior surfaces of the TALUS. Ankle Syndesmosis,Articulatio talocruralis,Distal Tibiofibular Joint,Inferior Tibiofibular Joint,Talocrural Joint,Tibiofibular Ankle Syndesmosis,Tibiofibular Syndesmosis,Ankle Joints,Ankle Syndesmoses,Ankle Syndesmosis, Tibiofibular,Distal Tibiofibular Joints,Inferior Tibiofibular Joints,Joint, Ankle,Joints, Ankle,Syndesmosis, Ankle,Talocrural Joints,Tibiofibular Ankle Syndesmoses,Tibiofibular Joint, Distal,Tibiofibular Syndesmoses
D016512 Ankle Injuries Harm or hurt to the ankle or ankle joint usually inflicted by an external source. Ankle Sprains,Injuries, Ankle,Syndesmotic Injuries,Ankle Injury,Ankle Sprain,Injuries, Syndesmotic,Injury, Ankle,Injury, Syndesmotic,Sprain, Ankle,Sprains, Ankle,Syndesmotic Injury
D055052 Athletic Tape Adhesive tape with the mechanical strength to resist stretching. It is applied to the skin to support, stabilize, and restrict movement to aid healing and/or prevent injuries of the MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM. Kinesio Tape,Kinesiotape,Orthotic Tape,Kinesio Tapes,Tape, Athletic,Tape, Kinesio,Tape, Orthotic,Tapes, Kinesio

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