title: Effects of Taping on Achilles Tendon Protection and Kendo Performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been reported that there is a high rate of Achilles tendon injury among kendo athletes. For protection and to support the area, kendo athletes habitually use taping during practice or games.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of various taping techniques on injury prevention and functional performance in kendo athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 University Kendo Team athletes with at least 2 y kendo experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Athletes completed 5 stepping backwards and striking cycles under 4 taping conditions: no taping, athletic taping of ankle joint (AT-Ankle), athletic taping of Achilles tendon (AT-Achilles), and Kinesio-Tex taping of Achilles tendon (KT-Achilles). Jump distance, lower limb angular motion, left foot-ground contact time, Achilles tendon force (ATF), and soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscle activities were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lowest peak ATF was found in AT-Achilles during heel-down phase, with statistically significant difference from KT-Achilles peak force. Significant decline of soleus muscle electromyography amplitude was also found when compared to no taping during heel-down phase and other conditions during pushing phase. Conversely, KT-Achilles showed significant decrease in foot-ground contact time compared with no taping and greater ankle range of motion than in AT-Ankle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To protect the Achilles tendon, AT-Achilles taping is recommended since it tends to decrease ATF. Conversely, to enhance athlete performance, we recommend KT-Achilles taping to speed up kendo striking motion. However, the Achilles tendon must withstand greatest forces concurrently. This finding implies that AT-Achilles taping can protect the injured Achilles tendon and KT-Achilles taping can enhance performance on the kendo striking motion.
authors.forename: Feng-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: I-Hua
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Chun-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jing-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jia-Hroung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen-Lan
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055052:Athletic Tape; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Achilles tendon force; biomechanics; electromyography