Kinesio Taping for the Knee and Ankle: Acute Impact on Balance, Proprioception, and ACL Risk

Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Balance; Kinesiotape; Landing Error Scoring System (LESS); Proprioception; ACL Injury

Treatments: Procedure: Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the ankle then knee; Procedure: Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the knee then ankle

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07138573

2025 - 1154

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to evaluate and compare the acute effects of Kinesio taping applied to the knee and ankle on balance, proprioception, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS). Designed as a randomized crossover trial, the study will include 24 healthy volleyball athletes with at least 5 years of experience. All participants will receive both ankle and knee taping interventions, separated by a one-week washout period. Assessments will be conducted at four time points: before and after each taping. Outcome measures include the Y-Balance Test, proprioception tests, and LESS.

Full description

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate and compare the acute effects of Kinesio taping applied to the knee and ankle on balance, proprioception, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk, assessed via the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS).

Methods:

A randomized crossover design will be used. The study will be conducted at Gazi University with 24 healthy adult volleyball athletes (≥18 years) who have been licensed players for at least 5 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to two experimental sequences:

Group A: knee taping followed by ankle taping

Group B: ankle taping followed by knee taping Each taping intervention will be separated by a one-week washout period. Assessments will be performed immediately before and after each taping session.

Knee taping will be performed using a valgus-control spiral taping technique with 50% stretch. Ankle taping will be conducted using the "figure-of-eight" method, also with 50% stretch. All applications will be administered by the same licensed physiotherapist to ensure consistency.

Outcome Measures:

Balance: Y-Balance Test (anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral reach)

Proprioception: Joint position sense tests for the knee and ankle (with eyes closed, angular replication tasks)

Injury Risk: LESS test evaluating landing biomechanics and scoring 17 specific kinematic errors

Statistical analyses will be performed using SPSS v24.0. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests will be used depending on data normality. A significance level of p<0.05 will be adopted.

Expected Results:

Kinesio taping is expected to acutely enhance proprioceptive feedback and postural control in both the knee and ankle, resulting in improved landing mechanics and a reduction in ACL injury risk. The relative effectiveness of each taping site will also be compared.

Enrollment: 24 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteering to participate in the study
• Being 18 years of age or older
• Being a licensed and regular volleyball player for at least 5 years

Exclusion criteria

• Being enrolled in another study or treatment program
• Being unable to complete the study for any other reason
• Having suffered a lower extremity injury within 6 months prior to participating in the study
• Female participants must be in their menstrual cycle

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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24 participants in 2 patient groups

Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the knee then ankle

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive kinesio taping on the dominant knee first, followed by ankle taping after a 1-week washout period.

Treatment:

Procedure: Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the knee then ankle

Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the ankle then knee

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive kinesio taping on the dominant ankle first, followed by knee taping after a 1-week washout period.

Treatment:

Procedure: Kinesio Taping (KT) applied to the ankle then knee