Knee Taping and the Countermovement Jump: Implications for Reactive Strength, Power, and Jump Mechanics

Background: The use of knee taping is widely used to enhance stability and landing performance. However, its impact on jumping performance, a key sports performance determinant, remains unknown. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of knee taping on continuous biomechanics during the countermovement jump (CMJ). Methods: Nineteen recreational female netball players (age 22 ± 2.69 years; height 167.76 ± 7.47 cm; mass 63.32 ± 10.57 kg) performed CMJs under four taping conditions-no tape (NT), rigid tape (RT), dynamic tape (DT), and kinesio tape (KT). All participants completed all four conditions. Continuous biomechanical data were analysed using one-dimensional statistical parametric mapping (SPM1d) with repeated measures ANOVA (p < 0.05). Results: KT significantly reduced time to take-off (from 2.01 ± 0.67 s with NT to 1.26 ± 0.61 s with KT, p < 0.001) and increased modified reactive strength index (from 0.12 ± 0.05 with NT to 0.21 ± 0.06 with KT, p < 0.001). RT increased braking phase velocity compared to NT (-1.53 ± 0.57 m/s vs. -1.69 ± 0.62 m/s, p = 0.01). SPM1d revealed significant kinematic changes across conditions, including reduced ankle flexion and hip flexion with KT, and increased knee rotation with RT and DT. Conclusions: Knee taping modified joint kinematics without enhancing maximal outputs such as power or jump height. KT improved reactive strength indices, suggesting potential benefits for rapid jump performance, while RT and DT mainly altered joint coordination.