METHODS
This cross-sectional, analytic, observational study was designed adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines, was performed between June 2023 and October 2023 at the Physiotherapy Research Laboratory of the European University of Madrid.

Fifty healthy students from University Europea de Madrid volunteered for the study Table 1 . The recruitment was carried out by a physiotherapist with more than 10 years of experience.

Notes:

The exclusion criteria for participation in the current study included students with dermatological disorders or allergy to bandage, having undergone lower limb surgery, having had a lateral ankle sprain in the last three months.

All the participants ( n = 50, age = 21.00 ± 2.34 years, weight = 71.11 ± 13.12 kg, height = 1.75 ± 00.9 m, BMI = 22.94 ± 2.50 kg/m2, foot size = 41.60 ± 3.00) completed the study protocol ( Tables 1 & 2 ).

Notes:

Abbreviations A Anterior R Right L Left YBT Y Balance Test R rearfoot M midfoot F forefoot. cm St Static plataform measures Dn Dynamic platform measures. Con_Sur Contact Surface MPress Mean pressure MaxPress Maximum pressure V Velocity cm centimetres g/cm 2 grams per square centimeter m/s meters per second

Anterior

Right

Left

Y Balance Test

rearfoot

midfoot

forefoot. cm

Static plataform measures

Dynamic platform measures.

Contact Surface

Mean pressure

Maximum pressure

Velocity

centimetres

grams per square centimeter

meters per second

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the European University of Madrid (CI Code: 2023-422) in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The informed consent form was signed by all the participants before the beginning of the study.

Static and dynamic pressure analysis was carried out with the 1,600 sensors of the portable pressure platform Podoprint ® (Namrol Group, Barcelona, Spain) ( Izquierdo-Renau et al., 2017 ).

The software allows you to assess parameters such as surface area measured un squares centimeters, the mean pressure measured in grams per square centimeter, the maximum pressure measured in grams per squared centimeters and the velocity measured in meters per second. For the measurement of velocity, the pressure platform records the exact moment when each part of the foot (forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot) makes contact with the platform and when that contact ends. In this way, using the data on time and the distance covered, the platform calculates the displacement velocity. All the variables mentioned before were recorded for the forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot ( Cobos-Moreno et al., 2022 ). For measuring these three different segments we took the rearfoot as the part of the foot comprised between the calcaneus and the transvers tarsal joint, the midfoot as the segment between the transverse tarsal joint and the tarsometatarsal joint and the forefoot as the segment from the tarsometatarsal joint to the distal phalange ( Matias et al., 2020 ; Takabayashi et al., 2017 ).

For the YBT analysis the displacement was recorded in centimeters for the dominant foot. Three different measurements were assessed using separate analyses of the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions ( Plisky et al., 2009 ; Jagger et al., 2020 ).

At the participant’s arrival they were asked their age and their dominant foot; they were also weighted, and their height measured. After that, the participant was asked to stand still at the pressure platform to measure their static stance. Before recording their results for the static measurement, they were asked to take a few steps onsite, with their gaze straight ahead and their arms relaxed along the body. The participants were instructed to perform all tests barefoot to minimise the bias that could be derived from the use of footwear or insoles. This was performed by a physical therapist with more than 10 years of experience and extensive knowledge in gait biomechanics. For the dynamic pressure test, the platform was set up at 6 m in a 10 m long corridor at ground level. This distance minimizes the risk of gait adaptations and allows walking at a constant pace without the need to adapt the gait. All participants were given 5 min to practice before measurements were taken, to achieve as natural a gait as possible. The participant was asked to walk on the pressure platform until a clear picture of their gait pattern was obtained. For each participant several walks are necessary as the platform is 40 cm by 40 cm and therefore only one footprint can be recorded per walk; 4 complete plantar pressure images were obtained for each foot, with this number of images the results are considered reliable ( Cobos-Moreno et al., 2022 ; Hughes et al., 1991 ; Martínez-Nova et al., 2007 ; De Castro et al., 2014 ). From the set of four recorded steps, the most accurate image of the dominant foot was evaluated to subsequently obtain the necessary data for the study.

Once their gait analysis was finished the participant was asked to take the YBT, which is a clinical adaptation of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) to assess their dynamic balance. The results from the test were recorded by a physical therapist with more than 5 years’ experience who also explained how to perform the test to the participants and performed an instructional test. The participants were asked to perform three practice trials before taking the real test. The test consists in standing on the centre of the Y with one leg while, with the other one, the participant tries to reach as far as possible into the three directions (anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral) while keeping their weight at the leg on the centre of the Y.

Afterwards the participants were asked to lay on a physiotherapy couch to get taped.

Ankle taping application was performed with a Strappal ® 4-cm width non elastic tape from BSN medical (Essity, Stockholm, Sweden). The technique used was one of the most used ones by physical therapists, athletic trainers, coaches and athletes for ankle injury prevention or rehabilitation processes.

We ensured the accuracy of the bandaging and conditions, as they were performed by a therapist with over 15 years of experience in applying bandages (M.B.A). The ankle taping procedure was detailed in 4 steps ( Figure 1 ): (1) tape application technique anchoring strips: two Strappal ® anchoring stripes, one at ankle height right above the medial and lateral malleolus and one at the forefoot. (2) Calcaneus stabilization: From those two anchoring stripes five tape stripes were applied to secure the calcaneus into a neutral position: three in an up position from the calcaneus to the ankle anchor and two of them from the calcaneus to the forefoot anchor. (3) Fixation of the talocalcaneal complex: with the ankle at 90-degree angle it was applied a figure-eight strip around the ankle joint with firm but comfortable tension. This strip should start at the forefoot, loop around the ankle, and cross back over to the forefoot, creating the figure called “eight pattern”. (4) Close taping: finish the taping procedure applying additional strips without tension to ensure the entire bandage. These strips should cover and reinforce the previously applied tape ( Figure 2 ). It is considered mandatory to take into account the tension details: the tape should be applied with enough force to support the ankle joint without restricting blood flow or causing discomfort. This tape moderate tension is crucial for the anchoring strips and the figure-eight pattern. Thus, the ankle taping procedure should be firm but comfortable for the participants.

The order in which the procedure was carried out was to first have the participants measured without being taped at their arrival, then having the pressure and gait analysis recorded at the platform and finally, once they have performed the YBT, they were asked to get taped in order to retake every measurement again.

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Armonk, NY, USA) was employed for the statistical analysis. Descriptive data were presented (mean and standard deviation for parametric data and median and interquartile range for non-parametric data) in Table 1 . A normal distribution of quantitative data was assessed by means of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Differences between taping and no taping assessment were performed with Student-t test for related samples and Wilcoxon signed-rank, for parametric and non-parametric distributions.