Immediate and fatigue-related effects of subtalar sling taping in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

Abstract

Objectives To compare the immediate and fatigue-related effects of rigid subtalar sling taping, kinesio subtalar sling taping, and sham taping in physically active individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Laboratory. Participants Ninety physically active adults with CAI were randomized to RST, KST, or ST (n = 30 each). Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the Y-Balance Test (YBT) composite score. Secondary outcomes were joint position sense error, Weight-Bearing Lunge Test, Single-Leg Hop, Side Hop, and Figure-of-8 Hop performance, assessed at baseline, post-taping, post-fatigue, and after a 20-min recovery period. Results Group × time interactions were significant for all outcomes after adjustment for sex (all p Conclusions RST and KST showed outcome-dependent effects after taping and fatigue; statistically significant between-group differences were not uniform across outcomes.