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Acute effects of kinesiology taping on physical parameters and functional performance in handball players: a double-blinded, randomised placebo-controlled trial

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the acute effect of kinesiology taping in the triceps surae, which has the key role in jumping, of handball players on ankle plantar and dorsiflexion muscle strength, proprioception, balance, horizontal jumping and functional movement.

Methods

It is a double-blinded, randomised placebo-controlled study. There were two groups in the study: the experimental group was applied ‘Y shaped’ kinesiology taping on triceps surae, based on facilitation technique with 25–50% stretch. The control (placebo) group was applied kinesiology taping on triceps surae without any stretch. Participants’ muscle strength, proprioception, balance, horizontal jumping and functional movement was measured before and 2 h after taping.

Results

Kinesiology taping applied to the triceps surae had an acute effect on the right foot dorsiflexion muscle strength (experimental:4.9  ±  5.8, control: − 0.4  ±  3.4, p:0.02). Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in proprioception of the right foot in 25° plantar flexion with eyes open (experiment: − 2.72  ±  4.14, control:0.6  ±  2.75, p:0.04) and the right foot in 10° dorsiflexion with eyes closed (experiment: − 3.72  ±  4.14, control: − 0. 5  ±  1.58, p:0.03); players with kinesiology taping had better sense of proprioception than those with placebo taping. No significant differences were found in balance, horizontal jumping and functional movement between the experimental and the control groups.

Conclusion

Kinesiology taping may provide an acute effect on the dorsiflexion muscle strength of handball players and can help to maintain ankle joint position. Kinesiology taping over triceps surae did not enhance balance, horizontal jumping or functional movement. Large randomised controlled trials could provide more definitive evidence.

Trial Registration Number and Date

NCT05691946 and 19 January 2023.

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Data availability

All data collected and analysed in the concept of this study are included in this published article. The dataset can be provided from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was funded by Amasya University (Grant number: FMB-BAP 21–0484).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physiotherapy, Vocational School of Health Services, Amasya University, Amasya, Türkiye

    Eren Arabaci & Ertugrul Deniz Kose

  2. Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Amasya University, Amasya, Türkiye

    Kubra Okuyucu

Authors
  1. Eren Arabaci
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  2. Ertugrul Deniz Kose
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  3. Kubra Okuyucu
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by E.A. and E.D.K. Data analysis was performed by K.O. The first draft of the manuscript was written by E.A, E.D.K and K.O. K.O. reviewed and edited the previous version of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kubra Okuyucu.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Ethics approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Amasya University (Ethics number: E-15386878–044-18186 and date: 27/05/2021).

Informed consent

Written informed consent is obtained from all participants in this study after giving complete information about the taping techniques and measurements, and its possible effects and complications.

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Arabaci, E., Kose, E.D. & Okuyucu, K. Acute effects of kinesiology taping on physical parameters and functional performance in handball players: a double-blinded, randomised placebo-controlled trial. Sport Sci Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-024-01211-x

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