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Biomechanics of prophylactic ankle taping (III)

Abstract:

Prophylactic ankle taping is one of the more used method to prevent ankle sprains among sports subjects of collaboration-opposition sports, where great jumps and continuous cutting movements are developed at the maximum speed. Previous studies showed that healthy subjects are able to control maximum supination of the ankle during a feint, in spite of the evident fatigue of taping after training. It was observed that the taping has no significant effects on landing impacts absorption capability nor on sports performance developing feints or an obstacle circuit with multiple cutting movements at the maximum speed, although an excessive restriction can worse these aspects. The aim of the present study was to analyse the changes on foot supporting mechanism due to the taping wear like a preventive method of sprains on healthy subjects and to know the effects on ankle joint kinematics after a 30 min training, considering individual characteristics of subjects. Changes on foot supporting mechanism were studied through the static footprint analysis before and after the wear of taping. The changes on ankle kinematics, an indicator of the ankle stability, were studied with manual goniometry of passive ankle ranges of movement. No significant increase of the cave/plane component was observed in all subjects, independently of anthropometrical characteristics. Changes on foot supporting mechanism were observed after taping removing on weighty subjects, restraining the usual foot widening after training. Finally, a more instability of the ankle was observed after the taping removing because of the taping wear, it incites to doubt of taping benefits on healthy subjects and to think about other alternatives of prevention.