ASSESING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STIRRUP, HORSESHOE, HEEL-LOCK, AND FIGURE-8 COMPONENTS OF THE CLOSED BASKET-WEAVE ANKLE TAPING METHOD IN VARIOUS COMBINATIONS.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was: 1.) to assess the effectiveness of the four individual components of the closed basket-weave ankle taping method (stirrups, horseshoes, heel-locks, figure-8’s) in limiting range of motion immediately following application; 2.) to determine which combination of the four individual components was most effective for limiting range of motion immediately following application. Twenty healthy participants (8 males/12 females, 19.8 ± 1.7 years, height = 172.5 ± 10.3cm, weight = 70.0 ± 12.7kg) from a large Midwestern University volunteered for this study. An ankle electrogoniometer was used to measure ankle range of motion in all four directions (eversion, inversion, dorsiflexion, plantarflexion). All testing took place in one session and used the participants’ dominant leg. Prior to testing, the participants’ leg was cleaned, shaved, and free of open wounds. Initially, range of motion was measured for all four motions in the no tape condition. Then each of the 8 tape conditions was applied to the ankle in a counterbalanced order. After each tape application range of motion was re-tested. Testing was concluded with a final range of motion measurement in the no tape condition. Three trials were taken for each of the four motions; the mean of the three trials was used for analysis. A paired samples t-test was conducted on the beginning and ending no tape measurements to determine if a natural increase in ankle range of motion occurred over the testing session. Four separate repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted for each range of motion to determine a difference between the 9 taping conditions. The results indicated a significant decrease in ankle range of motion with the application of tape when compared to the no tape range of motion value. It was found that the stirrup (SU), heel-lock (HL), and figure-8 (F8) components of the closed basketweave ankle taping method significantly restricted inversion, dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion. On the contrary it was found that the horseshoe (HS) component did not significantly restrict ankle range of motion for any of the four ranges of motion. Further interpretation of results showed that the HL/F8 combination was as effective as the SU/HL/F8 and the CBW taping combinations. The findings of this research indicate that the horseshoe component could be removed from the closed basketweave ankle taping method due to its inability to effectively restrict ankle range of motion. Furthermore, the findings of this research indicate the HL/F8 ankle taping method is equally as effective as the three component taping method (SU/HL/F8) and the full, four component closed basketweave.