Neuromuscular Properties and Functional Aspects of Taped Ankles

Abstract

We used electromyographic and goniometric methods to test 40 subjects to describe the neuromuscular and biomechanical adaptation of the ankle with respect to application of two different adhesive tapes and to exercises. The neuromuscular responses to inversion injury simulation, together with the mechanical displacements of the joint complex, were analyzed before and after controlled athletic exercises. The proprioceptive amplification ratio was calculated on the basis of the integrated reflex electromyographic results and on the maximum inversion amplitude. Relevant stability gains were achieved immediately after applying tape. There was reduced tape stability after athletic exercise for one of the two tape materials tested. No further loosening was detected, even after prolonged wearing of tape (24 hours). Compared with the unprotected ankle, the taped ankle had a significant increase in the proprioceptive amplification ratio. Both fatigue and mechanical loosening may be responsible for the significant reduction in this ratio immediately after exercise. After the 24-hour interval, the ratio was increased, which could be explained by physiologic neuromuscular regeneration and mechanical restabilization of the tape itself. The sensitivity of the proprioceptive amplification ratio, both to external stabilization and to internal fatigue, supports its potential value to quantify functional joint stability.

Effects of Kinesio Tape Compared With Nonelastic Sports Tape and the Untaped Ankle During a Sudden Inversion Perturbation in Male Athletes

“…8,42 The mechanisms responsible may not only be due to the mechanical restriction of the range of ankle inversion. Hypotheses as to other prophylactic benefits of applying adhesive tape include deceleration of the inversion motion, 42 afferent input to the central nervous system, 15,22,33,37,42 and placebo effects. 34 In 1980, a new type of elastic tape called Kinesio Tape (KT) was introduced by Kenzo Kase.…”

“…With respect to the effects of WT, our results are in agreement with those of previous studies that have shown increased muscle activity after application of nonelastic adhesive tape. 22,23 This has been thought to occur via cutaneous cues provided by the adhesive tape. However, the nonelastic versus elastic properties of the 2 types of tape may not offer identical stimuli during the dynamic trials of the present study.…”

“…Fibularis muscle response has been measured during simulated inversion injury and is reported to have an expected latency period of 50 to 90 milliseconds. 22,27,42 The time to peak and duration of the response is task dependent. The data were viewed across 4 time frames: baseline activity during the 500 milliseconds prior to the inversion perturbation, the 500 milliseconds immediately after the applied perturbation, and 2 additional 500-millisecond blocks during the recovery period after the inversion stress (time frames 3 and 4).…”

Peroneus Longus Activity in Different Types of Taping: Athletes With Ankle Instability

“…Rigid tape is known to lose some of its restrictive properties after exercise, and we did not evaluate the effects of either tape after exercise 30,31 . The efficacy of the KT may have been affected by the slit for the electrode.…”

The Effects of Ankle Taping and a Lace-up Ankle Brace on Balance Control while Initiating Gait

“…Among these measures use of prophylactic ankle measures is common among players of sports either as a means of preventing ankle injuries or as a rehabilitation strategy. Numerous studies [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] have investigated the effectiveness of ankle taping and braces, with findings generally supporting the role of strapping and bracing in reducing the incidence of ankle sprain injuries. For example, the incidence rate of ankle sprains among braced soccer players was reported as 3% as compared with 11% among unbraced soccer players 12) .…”