Effects of Elastic Therapeutic Tapes on Performance With Healthy Subjects

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
There has been an increasing interest in Kinesiology Tape(KT) and Biomechanical Tape(BT) in clinics and athletic competitions. Recently; the performance increasing effect of taping methods on healthy subjects in sports is being investigated.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Kinesio Taping (KT) is a technique utilizing a two way elastic tape originally created by Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. KT is a complementary method which is used as an adjunct to major therapy approaches in various musculoskeletal and neurological diseases.4 KT is employed in sports injuries and various health problems; but there is limited scientific evidence evaluating KT effectiveness and the results are inconsistent.5 One of the KT potential benefits is that of raising the range of motion through increasing blood circulation or through stimulation of cutaneous mechanoreceptors and this way it affects fascial tissue.6-8 Biomechanical Taping (BT) is a technique utilizing a four way elastic tape originally created by Ryan Kendrick in the 2010s. BT is a complementary method for supplementing load absorption, force contribution and modifying movement. BT affects tissues and movement in a mechanical way and it is almost a completely different method from KT. Kase's hypothesis is that KT affects fascial tissues and mechanoreseptors, but Kendrick's hypothesis is that BT ,which is applied in shortened position and cross joint segments, will gain potential energy in case of an extremity realized movement with antagonist activity. Then the weak agonist muscle gets activated for repositioning the extremity; this potential energy turns to kinetic energy like a released bow. As a result of kinetic energy, it may support the movement with using passive mechanical strength.9 In this study, the investigators aim to illustrate immediate effects of various taping methods on the performances of healthy subjects. In that way the investigators test hypothesis that different taping methods affect healthy subjects to improve performance. The investigators; investigate strength, active range of motion and vertical jump height as a parameters of performance with No Tape(NT), Sham Tape(ST), KT and BT.

Official Title
-----------------
Effects of Elastic Therapeutic Tapes on Performance With Healthy Subjects: a Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial

Conditions
-----------------
Sports Physical Therapy, Sports Performance

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Rigid Tape
* Other: Kinesiology Tape
* Other: Biomechanical Tape


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: 18-24 BMI Physically active according to International Physical Activity Questionnarie (IPAQ) Exclusion Criteria: Any known systemic diseases or medical condition Sensitive or fragile skin, Allergic diseases Pregnancy or pregnancy suspicion Using of sedative, psychosomatic or analgesic drugs

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 24 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: This study was conceived as a randomized placebo controlled prospective trial. With the aim of blocking effects of morphological specifities of participants, this study was designed on a four stage application on the same participants. This stages were (1) control testing with No Tape(NT) (2) placebo testing with Sham Tape(ST) application (3) Kinesology Tape(KT) application (4) Biomechanical Tape (BT) application. With the aim of blocking bias effects, randomization was designed with the computerized system using four way algorithm which led to NT, ST, KT and BT applications for each participant in mixed order but all applications have equal time in order.
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Tests were applied with any taping. | |
| Sham Comparator: Sham Taping<br>In ST stage; medical purpose, hypoallergenic OctaCare® Rigid Transparent Plaster was applied as a rigid tape. This tape is also used under rigid tapes for protecting the skin. In this study investigators didn't prefer extra rigid tape on the plaster because that was very light and less sensitive material to our knowledge so it suited our aim of placebo control. | Other: Rigid Tape<br>* Non-Elastic Tape<br>|
| Experimental: Kinesiology Taping<br>In KT stage; the original Kinesio Tex® Tape Classic was applied as a kinesiology tape. In this study, investigators applied the tape with muscle activation technique and paper of tension (it was declared %10) according to Kenzo Kase's Kinesio Taping concept. It was implemented on both bileral Rectus Femoris and Calf muscles with same technique. | Other: Kinesiology Tape<br>* Tape can be elongate only one direction<br>|
| Experimental: Biomechanical Taping<br>In BT stage; Dynamic Tape® was applied as a biomechanical tape. In this study, investigators applied the tape with offload technique and paper of tension according to Ryan Kendrick's Biomechanical Taping concept. It was implemented on both bileral Rectus Femoris and Calf muscles with same technique. | Other: Biomechanical Tape<br>* Tape can be elongate only two direction<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change From Vertical Jump With Each Taping Application | A fotoelectrical sensor base Micro Gate Opto Jump Next®, software version 1.10, BFS Vertical Jump protocol with three jumps was used for quantitative analysis of Counter Movement Vertical Jump (CMVJ). Minimum, maximum and average values of jumping height for all jumps (10) were recorded as canti-meter (cm). | baseline, and immediate effect in a 15 minutes | 
| Change From Muscle Strength With Each Taping Application | A hand held electronic dynamometer MicroFet® 2 was used to evaluate isometric bilateral knee extension and ankle dorsal flexion strength.11 Measurements were repeated three times and maximum value of strength was recorded as Kilogram-Force (Kg-F). | baseline, and immediate effect in a 15 minutes | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change From Active Range Of Motion With Each Taping Application | A wide angle webcam logitech® c920 full hd pro web cam that was integrated with opto jump software was used for assessment of active range of motion in front of jumping on image based assessment tool of opto jump software. Acromion, Trochantor major of femur, lateral epicondyle of femur, Lateral Condyle of Tibia and medial malleolus of tibia were marked for the indicator before the jumps. Videos, recorded at the same time with jump and synchronous with jumping values, were used for resolving knee and hip flexion degrees before jump with maximum height and they were assessed with indicators on computer surface on optojump software. Values recorded as degrees (º). | baseline, and immediate effect in a 15 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Kinesiology Tape, Biomechanical Tape, Performance, Muscle Strength, Vertical Jump