THE EFFECTS OF TWO ARCH TAPING TECHNIQUES ON NAVICULAR HEIGHT AND PLANTAR PRESSURES THROUGHOUT EXERCISE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine three questions: 1) How long do the Low-Dye and Navicular Sling techniques remain effective in supporting the medial longitudinal arch during running? 2) Is one technique more effective than the other in raising navicular height? 3) What effects do the Navicular Sling and Low-Dye techniques have on plantar pressures? Twenty-five subjects (13 males and 12 females, age = 20 ± 1 years, weight = 70.1 ± 10.2 kg., height = 172.3 ± 6.6 cm.) from a college-aged population were recruited for this study. All subjects had a navicular drop of over 8 mm (mean 12.9 ± 3.3 mm) and no reported history of significant lower body injury that would affect gait. Each participant took part in three days of testing, one for each tape condition: (a) No Tape, (b) the Navicular Sling technique, and (c) the Low-Dye technique. Navicular height was measured with a Mitutoyo Vernier height caliper and plantar pressures were measured using a pressure mat and the HR Mat Research 6.60 footprint mapping software. Subjects had one of the three tape conditions applied to the foot. The subjects then ran for 15 minutes at a self-selected pace (mean = 8.2 ± 1.3 kilometers per hour), and their navicular height and plantar pressures were measured at five minute intervals. These procedures were repeated on two additional days for the remaining taping conditions. Two separate repeated measures ANOVA tests were calculated. Navicular height data had two within subjects factors: time at 5 levels and tape intervention at 3 levels. Plantar pressure data had three within subjects factors: time at 5 levels, tape intervention at 3 levels, and mask at 5 levels. Planned comparisons were also completed to assess the time by tape interactions for each mask. If a pre to post-tape difference was found, Bonferroni post-hoc testing was done to evaluate the subsequent time periods. A priori alpha level was be set at p<0.05.