The influence of Mulligan ankle taping during balance performance in subjects with unilateral chronic ankle instability.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Mulligan ankle tape influenced the performance in subjects with unilateral chronic ankle instability (CAI) during static balance; postural sway recovery patterns after hopping and dynamic tracking balance tasks.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, within-subjects experimental study design between 4 ankle conditions (taped; untaped: injured and uninjured).


METHODS
20 volunteer recreational athletes with unilateral CAI were recruited. Means and standard deviations highlighted the athletes' characteristics: age =23+/-1 years; height=173.1+/-2.4 cm; weight=69.3+/-3 kg; Functional Ankle Disability Index (FADI)=93.5+/-5.1% and FADI Sport=84.2+/-9.4%.


METHODS
Mulligan ankle taping.


METHODS
Static balance (10s); postural sway recovery patterns after a 30s functional hop test (immediately, 30 and 60s); dynamic tracking balance tasks (wandering, target overshoot and reaction-time).


RESULTS
Between the four conditions, static balance showed no significant differences (p=0.792); significant changes occurred in postural sway over time (p<0.001); no significant changes were reported for the dynamic tracking tasks. Wandering was highly correlated with reaction-time and overshooting (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Under resting and fatigued conditions, Mulligan ankle taping did not impact on the neuromuscular control during static and dynamic balance in subjects with healthy and unstable ankles.
Hopper
Diana
D
Curtin University of Technology, School of Physiotherapy, Bentley, Australia. d.hopper@curtin.edu.au
Samsson
Karin
K
Hulenik
Tobias
T
Ng
Cheryl
C
Hall
Toby
T
Robinson
Kim
K
D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055052:Athletic Tape; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D013178:Sports Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult