Does Taping Have an Immediate Effect on Shooting the Target?

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Applied Physiology

Background:

• Overhead shooting athletes often exhibit upper trapezius dominance and inhibited shoulder muscles during arm elevation.
• This muscle imbalance can affect performance and increase injury risk in sports like archery.
• Shoulder proprioception and muscle activation are critical for accurate target engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of lower trapezius muscle activation via taping on target retention and shoulder proprioception accuracy.
• To enhance the performance of elite adolescent archers through a targeted taping intervention.
• To assess changes in posture, scapular symmetry, and proprioception before and after taping.

Main Methods:

• Forty-three elite adolescent archers (aged 11-14) participated in the study.
• Sociodemographic data, posture (New York Posture Scale), scapular asymmetry (Lateral Scapular Slide Test), proprioception (active displacement test), and archery performance (Archery Shooting Score) were assessed.
• Participants were divided into two age groups (11-12 and 13-14 years) for analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in Archery Shooting Score and proprioception were observed in both age groups post-taping, with medium to large effect sizes.
• Pre- and post-taping assessments revealed significant intragroup changes, particularly concerning scapular asymmetry.
• The taping intervention demonstrated a notable positive impact on both proprioception and shooting accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Taping applied to the lower trapezius muscle effectively improved shoulder proprioception and shooting accuracy in young elite archers.
• This method offers a promising, non-invasive strategy to enhance athletic performance and potentially mitigate muscle imbalances.
• The findings suggest that targeted muscle activation through taping can yield significant performance benefits in adolescent athletes.