The effect of low-Dye taping on hopping performance in handball players

Abstract

Low-Dye taping is a useful technique for preventing foot injuries. However, the use of inextensible tape may lead to a decline in movement performance as a result of limited foot joint mobility and a change in vertical stiffness due to the passive stiffening of the tarsus and metatarsus. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of low-Dye taping on sport movement performance observed during a hopping task. The study was carried out on a group of 11 male handball players. The Myotest accelerometer was used to evaluate the effect of low-Dye taping on jumping height, ground contact time and vertical stiffness during the hopping test. Each study participant performed four series of 5 hops (hopping test): two series before low-Dye taping and two after. No statistically significant differences were found between the values recorded before and after low-Dye taping for the variables that describe the hopping task: mean jump height, mean ground contact time and mean vertical stiffness. Low-Dye taping can be successfully used in handball players since it has a preventive effect that reduces the risk of injury to the foot and does not influence vertical stiffness or jump height to a significant extent.