Kinetic Effect of the Taping on the Ankle During a Change of Direction in Basketball Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the kinetic effect, with (WT) and without (WoT) the use of ankle taping, during a change of direction in basketball players. Twenty-two players were evaluated (11 men, 11 women; age = 21.50 ± 1.74 years, mass = 72.80 ± 13.14 kg, height = 1.71 ± 0.11 m). The functional task of “change of direction in 60°” was registered with a 3D motion analysis system and a force plate. The torques of eversion, plantarflexion, and ankle joint reaction force were evaluated during the braking phase, using an inverse dynamics method. To compare between conditions a t-student or Wilcoxon tests were used. The results revealed that the use of ankle taping yield a decrease in the anterior joint reaction force (WoT = 4.21 ± 1.36 N/kg vs WT = 2.92 ± 1.07 N/kg, p