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Elastic vs inelastic tape in jumps and landings

Abstract:

This study aimed to analyze the influence of two types of prophylactic ankle taping on the vertical ground reaction forces during different jump and landing tests. Twenty seven active and healthy women volunteered for the study (age = 20.6 ± 4.1 years). Two types of prophylactic ankle taping, designed to limit supination and plantar flexion, were applied to the subjects. One of them was done with inelastic tape (VI) and the other with elastic tape (VE). The influence of these ankle tapings was analyzed in four tests; (1) Land from 0.75 m as soft as possible, (2) land from 0.30 as soft as possible, (3) jump as high as possible with hands on the hips (CMJ) and (4) jump as high as possible with a 3 m run-up and arm swing. Both types of ankle taping restricted, without significant differences between them, the supination (percentage of restriction compared to the tests without taping: VI = 40.74% and VE = 41.77%) and the plantar flexion (VI = 14.54% and VE= 11.15%). There were no differences between taping conditions in the jump heights or power outputs during the push off phase. There also were no differences in the second peak vertical force value during the landing phase of the jump. However, the peak vertical force value during the landing phase of the tests where a soft landing was required, appeared before with the inelastic taping than with the elastic tape or without taping. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest the use of elastic taping if cost is not a limitation, because it did not modify any biomechanical parameter from the push off or landing phases of the jumps. Additional advantages were that the limitation in the ranges of movement was similar to the inelastic taping and that the restriction was more similar to that performed by the joint complex.