Fitness & Sportmedizin

Objectives: Elastic taping is postulated to support musculoskeletal aspects of athletic performance. Thereby, specific application techniques should affect specific aspects of muscle functioning, thus facilitating or inhibiting tonicity of the taped muscle. This study examines if different application directions of elastic taping on the quadriceps femoris muscle affect vertical jump performance. Additionally, participants subjective sensation during such facilitative and inhibitory elastic tapings is investigated.Methods: 30 participants were asked to perform counter movement jumps without, with facilitative, and with inhibitory elastic taping. Tape application conditions were presented randomly. Participants were blinded concerning postulated effects and application techniques. Height of flight during counter movement jumps was measured to indicate vertical jump performance. Vertical jumps were captured with a high-speed camera. Subjective sensation was investigated using an eleven-point Likert-scale (-5=strongly impaired, 0=neither nor, +5=strongly supported) and participants were asked to evaluate elastic tape applications with regard to jump performance and overall leg sensation. Results: Both elastic tape applications impair jump performance. However, participants evaluate both applications as supportive. There is no difference between facilitative and inhibitory tape application techniques.Discussion: Hypothesized performance-enhancing effects of elastic taping on jump performance in active, healthy and young participants can be neglected. However, elastic tape applications affect participants subjective sensation, which should be considered depending on given context and intention KEY WORDS: Kinesiotaping, Counter Movement Jump, Athletic Performance, Videoanalysis, Likert-Scal