Effects of tape and exercise on dynamic ankle inversion

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Ankle sprains are common injuries in sports, often resulting from excessive inversion.
• Taping is a widely used method to prevent ankle injuries, but its effectiveness with and without prewrap requires further investigation.
• Understanding the impact of taping on dynamic ankle stability is crucial for injury prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of ankle taping with prewrap versus taping directly to the skin on dynamic ankle inversion.
• To evaluate the effects of these taping methods on ankle inversion before and after exercise.
• To determine if prewrap influences the restrictive properties of ankle tape.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy college students participated in a randomized controlled study.
• Dynamic ankle inversion was measured using electronic goniometers before and after a prescribed exercise bout.
• Independent variables included tape application (no tape, tape with prewrap, tape to skin), and exercise condition (before and after).

Main Results:

• No significant difference was found between taping to the skin and taping over prewrap in restricting ankle inversion.
• Both taping methods significantly reduced average inversion velocity, maximum inversion, maximum inversion velocity, and time to maximum inversion compared to no tape postexercise.
• Taping provided residual restriction of ankle inversion even after exercise.

Conclusions:

• Ankle taping, whether applied directly to the skin or over prewrap, is effective in limiting dynamic ankle inversion.
• Both taping methods offer significant protective benefits by reducing inversion speed and increasing stability after exercise.
• Prewrap does not alter the effectiveness of ankle tape in controlling dynamic inversion.