title: Assessing performance, stability, and cleat comfort/support in collegiate club soccer players using prophylactic ankle taping and bracing.
abstract: Soccer athletes at all levels of play are keenly aware of their equipment needs including cleat wear, and want to be protected from injury but without impeding on-field performance. Ankle injury is a common disorder that is prevalent in the sport of soccer and recent improvements in ankle prophylaxis interventions have proven effective. The aim of this study was to determine if the use of elastic taping or a neoprene sleeve alters performance, stability, and cleat comfort/support in soccer players compared to wearing a soccer cleat without any external support. Twenty male collegiate club soccer players were recruited and randomly assigned to the three conditions (untaped control, taped, neoprene sleeve). Performance testing and comfort/support assessment for each condition took place in one on-field test session, while stability testing was completed during a separate laboratory session. The only significant finding was improved inversion/eversion stability in both the tape and sleeve conditions as compared to the cleated condition. The addition of tape or a sleeve did not have an adverse effect on performance or comfort during functional and stability testing, and should therefore be considered as a method to decrease ankle injuries in soccer athletes as external supports provide increased stability in inversion/eversion range of motion.
authors.affiliation: a Athletic Training Research Laboratory , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stryker
authors.affiliation: a Athletic Training Research Laboratory , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Di Trani
authors.affiliation: a Athletic Training Research Laboratory , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Charles Buz
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Swanik
authors.affiliation: b School of Education , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Glutting
authors.affiliation: a Athletic Training Research Laboratory , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kaminski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054874:Athletic Performance; D055052:Athletic Tape; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D012775:Shoes; D012916:Soccer; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ankle; arthrometry; injury; proprioception