Investigating the Immediate Effects of Kinesio Tape and Biomechanical Tape on Strength and Performance: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Trial

Bahçeşehir University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sports Physical Therapy; Sports Performance

Treatments: Other: Biomechanical Tape; Other: Kinesiology Tape; Other: Rigid Tape

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04090541

52

Details and patient eligibility

About

There has been an increasing interest in Kinesiology Tape(KT) and Biomechanical Tape(BT) in clinics and athletic competitions. Recently; the performance increasing effect of taping methods on healthy subjects in sports is being investigated.

Full description

Kinesio Taping (KT) is a technique utilizing a two way elastic tape originally created by Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. KT is a complementary method which is used as an adjunct to major therapy approaches in various musculoskeletal and neurological diseases.4 KT is employed in sports injuries and various health problems; but there is limited scientific evidence evaluating KT effectiveness and the results are inconsistent.5 One of the KT potential benefits is that of raising the range of motion through increasing blood circulation or through stimulation of cutaneous mechanoreceptors and this way it affects fascial tissue.6-8 Biomechanical Taping (BT) is a technique utilizing a four way elastic tape originally created by Ryan Kendrick in the 2010s. BT is a complementary method for supplementing load absorption, force contribution and modifying movement. BT affects tissues and movement in a mechanical way and it is almost a completely different method from KT. Kase's hypothesis is that KT affects fascial tissues and mechanoreseptors, but Kendrick's hypothesis is that BT ,which is applied in shortened position and cross joint segments, will gain potential energy in case of an extremity realized movement with antagonist activity. Then the weak agonist muscle gets activated for repositioning the extremity; this potential energy turns to kinetic energy like a released bow. As a result of kinetic energy, it may support the movement with using passive mechanical strength.9 In this study, the investigators aim to illustrate immediate effects of various taping methods on the performances of healthy subjects. In that way the investigators test hypothesis that different taping methods affect healthy subjects to improve performance. The investigators; investigate strength, active range of motion and vertical jump height as a parameters of performance with No Tape(NT), Sham Tape(ST), KT and BT.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18-24 BMI
• Physically active according to International Physical Activity Questionnarie (IPAQ)

Exclusion criteria

• Any known systemic diseases or medical condition
• Sensitive or fragile skin,
• Allergic diseases
• Pregnancy or pregnancy suspicion
• Using of sedative, psychosomatic or analgesic drugs

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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20 participants in 4 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Tests were applied with any taping.

Sham Taping

Sham Comparator group

Description:

In ST stage; medical purpose, hypoallergenic OctaCare® Rigid Transparent Plaster was applied as a rigid tape. This tape is also used under rigid tapes for protecting the skin. In this study investigators didn't prefer extra rigid tape on the plaster because that was very light and less sensitive material to our knowledge so it suited our aim of placebo control.

Treatment:

Other: Rigid Tape

Kinesiology Taping

Experimental group

Description:

In KT stage; the original Kinesio Tex® Tape Classic was applied as a kinesiology tape. In this study, investigators applied the tape with muscle activation technique and paper of tension (it was declared %10) according to Kenzo Kase's Kinesio Taping concept. It was implemented on both bileral Rectus Femoris and Calf muscles with same technique.

Treatment:

Other: Kinesiology Tape

Biomechanical Taping

Experimental group

Description:

In BT stage; Dynamic Tape® was applied as a biomechanical tape. In this study, investigators applied the tape with offload technique and paper of tension according to Ryan Kendrick's Biomechanical Taping concept. It was implemented on both bileral Rectus Femoris and Calf muscles with same technique.

Treatment:

Other: Biomechanical Tape