KT Tape® has emerged as an alternative to traditional tape and taping methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of KT Tape® on the ankle in regards to balance. By conducting this study, the researchers hoped to verify if the increased joint stability claims of the KT Tape® brand were accurate. The hypothesis was that KT Tape® will not provide superior joint stability to its users when compared with other types of tape. Secondarily, a placebo effect may play a role in the stability measures.
Method:
25 volunteers participated in the study (12 female, 13 male). The participants completed an athlete single leg stability test on the Biodex Balance System SD machine. Each test consisted of 3 twenty second trials using the participants preferred limb. The subjects were tested in four conditions: w/out tape, w/ a standard athletic ankle tape, KT Tape®, and a placebo tape. All tapes were white and the order of testing was randomized.
Analysis/Results:
A one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare the tape conditions and stability scores. A significant difference was found (F(3) = 6.836, p < .001). Follow up protected t tests revealed that stability scores increased with athletic tape (M = 2.24, sd = 1.41) KT (M = 2.27, sd = 1.03) and flex tape (M = 2.08, sd = 1.66). A paired samples t test was then used to determine where the differences in scores lie. Differences were found between no tape and athletic tape (t (24) = 3.008, p < .001), no tape and KT (t (24) = 2.51, p < .001), and no tape and flex tape (t (24) = 3.34, p < .001).
Conclusions:
The results showed that taping offers greater stability over no taping. However; no one tape method provided greater stability over the next. The data did support the hypothesis. The marketing claim of KT Tape® to provide superior stability was not supported. However; tape does increase overall stability when compared to the absence of tape. A choice of preferred tape can be made based on comfort, cost, availability, etc.
See more of: Research