title: Kinesiology tape does not promote vertical jumping performance: A deceptive crossover trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kinesiology tape (KINTAPE) is one of the most common adhesive therapeutic tapes. Apart from clinical applications, KINTAPE claims to be able to enhance functional performance by muscle activity facilitation. However, emerging evidence suggests that the isokinetic muscle strength remains similar when the placebo effect is eliminated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In view of the weak relationship between functional performance and isokinetic muscle strength, this study investigated the true effects of KINTAPE on functional performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Deceptive, randomized, and crossover trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty four experienced volleyball players performed vertical jumping test under three taping conditions: true facilitative KINTAPE, sham KINTAPE, and no KINTAPE. Under the pretense of applying adhesive muscle sensors, KINTAPE was applied to their quadriceps and gastrocnemius in the first two conditions. Mean maximum jump height and peak jump power were averaged from three attempts. Within-subject comparisons were conducted by repeated measure ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 64 participants, 30 of them were successfully deceived and they were ignorant about KINTAPE. No significant differences were found in both maximum jump height (η(2) = 0.001; p = 0.241) and peak jump power (η(2) = 0.001; p = 0.134) between three taping conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that KINTAPE did not facilitate muscle performance by generating higher jumping power or yielding a better jumping performance. These findings reinforce that previously reported muscle facilitatory effects or functional enhancement using KINTAPE may be attributed to placebo effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: roy.cheung@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: R T H
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Q K C
authors.initials: QK
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: So
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: P S H
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D055052:Athletic Tape; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D015990:Placebo Effect; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D054798:Volleyball; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Jump height; Placebo; Power