Influence of taping on joint proprioception: a systematic review with between and within group meta-analysis

Taping is increasingly used to manage proprioceptive deficits, but existing reviews on its impact have shortcomings. To accurately assess the effects of taping, a separate meta-analyses for different population groups and tape types is needed. Therefore, both between- and within-group meta-analyses are needed to evaluate the influence of taping on proprioception. According to PRISMA guidelines, a literature search was conducted across seven databases (Web of Science, PEDro, Pubmed, EBSCO, Scopus, ERIC, SportDiscus, Psychinfo) and one register (CENTRAL) using the keywords "tape" and "proprioception". Out of 1372 records, 91 studies, involving 2718 individuals, met the inclusion criteria outlined in the systematic review. The meta-analyses revealed a significant between and within-group reduction in repositioning errors with taping compared to no tape (Hedge's g: -0.39, p < 0.001) and placebo taping (Hedge's g: -1.20, p < 0.001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses further confirmed the reliability of the overall between and within-group analyses. The between-group results further demonstrated that both elastic tape and rigid tape had similar efficacy to improve repositioning errors in both healthy and fatigued populations. Additional analyses on the threshold to detection of passive motion and active movement extent discrimination apparatus revealed no significant influence of taping. In conclusion, the findings highlight the potential of taping to enhance joint repositioning accuracy compared to no tape or placebo taping. Further research needs to uncover underlying mechanisms and refine the application of taping for diverse populations with proprioceptive deficits.

Effects of a stocking on plantar sensation in individuals with and without ankle instability

INTRODUCTION

It is unknown whether footwear has a beneficial or deleterious effect on cutaneous sensitivity. We aimed to test a preliminary model of footwear and its effect on tactile perception among groups of controls, copers, and chronic ankle instability participants.

METHODS

Light-touch thresholds were obtained for 45 participants (age: 20.2 ± 2.8 years; height: 167.6 ± 9.8 cm; mass: 66.3 ± 14.7 kg) using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments at the head of the first metatarsal (1MT), base of the fifth metatarsal (5MT), and calcaneus (CAL). Baseline measurements were compared with those taken after wearing a nylon stocking for 5 min.

RESULTS

Thresholds were increased at all 3 sites when the stocking was worn (P < 0.05). Controls had an increase at 1MT, copers had an increase at 5MT and CAL, and chronic ankle instability had an increase at CAL.

CONCLUSIONS

Cutaneous thresholds increase when subjects wear a nylon stocking, a model for the sensory effects of footwear. A history of ankle injury appears to influence which sites have altered sensibility. Muscle Nerve, 2016. Muscle Nerve 55: 513-519, 2017.

Assessing performance, stability, and cleat comfort/support in collegiate club soccer players using prophylactic ankle taping and bracing

Soccer athletes at all levels of play are keenly aware of their equipment needs including cleat wear, and want to be protected from injury but without impeding on-field performance. Ankle injury is a common disorder that is prevalent in the sport of soccer and recent improvements in ankle prophylaxis interventions have proven effective. The aim of this study was to determine if the use of elastic taping or a neoprene sleeve alters performance, stability, and cleat comfort/support in soccer players compared to wearing a soccer cleat without any external support. Twenty male collegiate club soccer players were recruited and randomly assigned to the three conditions (untaped control, taped, neoprene sleeve). Performance testing and comfort/support assessment for each condition took place in one on-field test session, while stability testing was completed during a separate laboratory session. The only significant finding was improved inversion/eversion stability in both the tape and sleeve conditions as compared to the cleated condition. The addition of tape or a sleeve did not have an adverse effect on performance or comfort during functional and stability testing, and should therefore be considered as a method to decrease ankle injuries in soccer athletes as external supports provide increased stability in inversion/eversion range of motion.

Extended use of Kinesiology Tape and Balance in Participants with Chronic Ankle Instability

CONTEXT

Participants with chronic ankle instability (CAI) have been shown to have balance deficits related to decreased proprioception and neuromuscular control. Kinesiology tape (KT) has been proposed to have many benefits, including increased proprioception.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if KT can help with balance deficits associated with CAI.

DESIGN

Cohort study.

SETTING

Research laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Thirty participants with CAI were recruited for this study.

INTERVENTION(S)

Balance was assessed using the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). Participants were pretested and then randomly assigned to either the control or KT group. The participants in the KT group had 4 strips applied to the foot and lower leg and were instructed to leave the tape on until they returned for testing. All participants returned 48 hours later for another BESS assessment. The tape was then removed, and all participants returned 72 hours later to complete the final BESS assessment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Total BESS errors.

RESULTS

Differences between the groups occurred at 48 hours post-application of the tape (mean difference = 4.7 ± 1.4 errors, P < .01; 95% confidence interval = 2.0, 7.5) and at 72 hours post-removal of the tape (mean difference = 2.3 ± 1.1 errors, P = .04; 95% confidence interval = 0.1, 4.6).

CONCLUSIONS

The KT improved balance after it had been applied for 48 hours when compared with the pretest and with the control group. One of the most clinically important findings is that balance improvements were retained even after the tape had been removed for 72 hours.

The effect of kinesio tape on force sense in people with functional ankle instability

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of kinesio tape (KT) on proprioception of the ankle.

DESIGN

Case-control study.

SETTING

Controlled laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-eight subjects participated in this study: 14 subjects were in the control group (no history of ankle injuries) and 14 subjects were in the functional ankle instability (FAI) group (history of ankle injuries and a recent history of giving way).

INTERVENTIONS

Subjects in the FAI group received lateral ankle sprain KT application, whereas those in the control group received no tape application.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Proprioception was measured using eversion force sense. This task was performed at 30% of the eversion maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Force sense was tested at baseline, immediately after KT application, and 72 hours after KT application.

RESULTS

Results revealed a significant time by group interaction (P = 0.03). At baseline and immediately after KT, subjects in the FAI group had significantly more force sense errors than those in the control group. However, after wearing the tape for 72 hours, no significant differences were identified between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that after wearing KT for an extended amount of time, proprioceptive deficits were improved. After the tape application, the improvements resulted in similar conscious proprioceptive awareness in both the subjects with and without ankle instability.

The effect of cryotherapy on the normal ankle joint position sense

Purpose

To determine whether a fifteen-minute water immersion treatment affects the normal ankle joint position sense (JPS) at the middle range of dorsiflexion and plantar flexion actively and passively.

Methods

Thirty healthy female volunteers aged between 18 and 30 years were treated by a 15-minute cryotherapy (6 ± 1°C). The subject's skin temperature over antromedial aspect of dominant ankle was measured by the Mayomed device before, immediate and 15 minutes after water immersion. Ankle JPS was tested trough the pedal goniometer at 3 stages similar to the skin temperature. ANOVA (α = 0.05) was performed on each of variables using SPSS 19.0 software.

Results

Skin temperature was seen to decrease after water immersion but subjects did not return to pre-test skin temperature after 15 minutes (P<0.001). The research found no significant difference in JPS at middle range of dorsiflexion and plantar flexion actively and passively before and after cryotherapy.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that 15-minute water immersion at 6°C dose not significantly alter the middle range of plantar flexion/ dorsiflexion JPS at the ankle and is not deleterious to JPS.

Prophylactic ankle taping: elastic versus inelastic taping

BACKGROUND

The ankle is frequently injured in sporting activities, and therefore it is frequently protected with prophylactic ankle taping. This study aimed first, to compare the mechanical fatigue of two types of prophylactic ankle taping after 30 minutes of intense exercise, one made with elastic tape (ET) and the other with inelastic tape (IT), and second, to investigate the subjects' perception on the tape restriction and comfort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-seven active women (mean age, 20.6 +/- 4.1 years), without previous ankle injuries volunteered for the study. The participants were tested on three different conditions: with elastic ankle taping, with inelastic taping, and without taping, before and after 30 minutes of intense exercise. The ankle passive ranges of movement (ROMs) were measured before and after exercise, and a subjective scale on taping comfort and restriction was completed by the subjects.

RESULTS

Both types of ankle taping showed less ROM restriction after 30 minutes of exercise in inversion (IT = 27% and ET = 21%), and plantarflexion (IT = 8% and ET = 6%). The IT showed more loss of restriction than the ET, with significant differences in inversion (p < 0.05). The participants perceived the ET as more comfortable and less restrictive.

CONCLUSION

We would recommend the use of ET as the first choice for prophylactic ankle taping because it produces the same restriction in the ROM as the IT with less taping fatigue, and is perceived as more comfortable and less restrictive by the users.

Foot and ankle compression improves joint position sense but not bipedal stance in older people

This study investigates the effects of foot and ankle compression on joint position sense (JPS) and balance in older people and young adults. 12 independently living healthy older persons (77-93 years) were recruited from a senior accommodation facility. 15 young adults (19-24 years) also participated. Compression was applied at the ankles and feet using medical compression hosiery. The mean velocity of the centre of pressure (CoP) displacements and the root mean square of the CoP velocity in both anteroposterior and mediolateral directions, were measured with a foot pressure plate. In older people, ankle compression was associated with an improvement of JPS towards normal values. However, a concurrent deterioration of their balance was found. In young adults compression had no effect on either JPS or balance.

Bracing and rehabilitation—what's new

Based on the recent evidence, ankle bracing and taping do appear to have positive effects on ankle support. For example, both bracing and taping restrict inversion range of motion, with tape and stirrup-style braces providing the best support. Although exercise reduces this restriction, the range remains consistent with levels considered to be within the normal range. Ankle supports also appear to improve the strength of the muscular response to perturbation, potentially providing a stronger muscular contraction. In contrast, ankle supports fail to improve the neuromuscular response time to unexpected perturbations. Thus, it appears that the stronger response may occur too slowly to protect the joint. This slowness of the neuromuscular response, however, may be offset by the support's ability to slow the inversion motion. The slowing of inversion appears to allow the neuromuscular system to respond at or before the point of ligament damage. Finally, ankle supports appear to improve balance only in individuals with previously injured ankles. This suggests that supports may have a selective effect in protecting injured but not uninjured individuals. Despite these positive effects, some cautions should be emphasized. First, most of the studies cited have been performed in the laboratory setting with joint velocities and loads much below what are encountered in the athletic and daily activities. Whether tape and braces can maintain their effectiveness under the more extreme conditions of functional activities remains unclear. Additionally, some evidence suggests that ankle supports may transfer loads to other joints putting them at risk for injury. Thus, further study is needed to determine the risk-to-benefit ratio of ankle supports. Finally, much of the research presented has been done only on uninjured ankles. Based on the current evidence, it seems possible that the effectiveness of ankle supports may differ depending on the population, and it seems clinically important to know whether we can expect the same results for injured and uninjured ankles. Proper and early rehabilitation is important in preventing residual ankle symptoms. Reports indicate that up to 73% of people who sustain a lateral ankle sprain have recurrent sprains, but it is unknown how many of these participants partake in rehabilitation. Proper immobilization and acute care of the injured ankle is imperative. An immobilization boot or strapping that can be removed during early non-weight bearing exercises seems to be most effective. Strength and balance training of the uninjured contralateral limb can be used to assist reaching full recovery in a shorter period of time. Functional exercises can also be performed earlier in the rehabilitation process by reducing the gravitational forces so patients can perform in a pain-free range and still receive the benefits of early activity. Evidence shows that daily ankle disk training assists in preventing ankle sprains, and is a relatively inexpensive and easy alternative to traditional rehabilitation protocols.