Effects of cryotherapy and ankle taping on mechanical power and velocity

Athletic trainers frequently are required to design rehabilitation and treatment programs for injured athletes. These treatment programs oftentimes involve the use of cryotherapy or ankle taping to create an optimal environment for healing. The purpose of this study was to identify the individual and simultaneous effects of ankle taping and cryotherapy on mechanical power and velocity.Sixteen (16) Division IA Baseball players (Age 20.53+/- 1.15 yrs, Wt 878.45+/105.68 N, Ht 1.85+/- 0.087 m) served as subjects for this study. Subjects met the following criteria: 1) all were asymptomatic from any lower extremity injury for at least six months prior to testing. 2) none had any known cold allergy (ie. hives, hypersensitivity to cold).This study utilized a counterbalanced repeated measures design, in which subjects participated in three treatments, cryotherapy, ankle taping and a combination treatment of cryotherapy and ankle taping. For the taping treatment, each subject was taped using a standard closed basket weave technique` with porous 1.5" cloth athletic tape (Johnson and Johnson, Coach). The cryotherapy treatment was administered a 20 minute ice immersion treatment at 10 deg Celsius to the leg and ankle. In the combination treatment, both treatments were administered with the ice immersion preceding ankle taping. The effects of these treatments on mechanical power and velocity were measured by a Kistler amplifier and force plate platform during a one leg standing vertical jump.The two-way repeated measures ANOVA's for power and velocity showed no significant interaction between cryotherapy, taping or combination treatment. However, significant pre-post treatment effects for power were discovered after cryotherapy and combination treatment. As a result of these findings, it is evident that immediate return to participation after cryotherapy or combination treatment will lead to decreases in muscular performance or injury.School of Physical EducationThesis (M.S.