INHIBITORY KINESIO® TAPE APPLICATION TO THE HAMSTRING MUSCLE GROUP: AN INVESTIGATION OF ACTIVE RANGE OF MOTION AND PERCEIVED TIGHTNESS OVER TIME
Context: The purpose of this study was to determine the inhibition effects of Kinesio® tape on the hamstrings muscle group. Objective: Although liberal anecdotal support exists, there is a lack of scientific data reported relative to the use of Kinesio® tape. Design: Within subject – repeated measures design. Random counterbalanced design. Setting: The settings included Division I and high school athletic training facilities from varying Ohio schools. Patients: The subjects consisted of college and high school athletes who had limited range of motion as determined by straight leg raise and popliteal angle. There were a total of 29 subjects (21 males, mean age 17.191, SD= 1.750 and 8 females, mean age 17.750, SD= 2.493). Interventions: Subjects received both Kinesio® and sham taping methods with measures of dependent variables taken at baseline, immediate, 4 days, 8 days, and 12 days of taping. Tape was re-applied every 2 days. Main outcomes measures: A 2 way ANOVA was used to analyze the outcome variables of range of motion and perceived stiffness. Results: A main effect of time for both taping conditions was revealed across all dependent variables. Significant increases for straight leg raise (p <.001), popliteal angle (p <.001), and perceived stiffness were observed (p <.001). A condition by time interaction was present for straight leg raise between 8 and 12 days (p = .046). Significance was present in the Kinesio® group (p = .027). Conclusion: Everyone displayed improvements towards greater flexibility across time. Between 8 days and 12 days there was a greater improvement for straight leg raise for the Kinesio® group.
Sports Medicine, "Kinesio tape, hamstrings, straight leg raise"
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations