MODERATION OF LOWER LIMB MUSCULAR ACTIVITY DURING JUMP LANDING BY THE APPLICATION OF ANKLE TAPING

Abstract

Ground reaction forces were measured using a Kistler force platform when 8 female subjects, wearing their own shoes, landed as they received a netball chest pass. Simultaneously electromyography recordings were made of three ankle muscles. The peak impact (total 2.3 BW; vertical 2.2 BW) and landing (total 1.8 BW; vertical 1.8 BW) forces were similar whether the ankle was taped or not (p>0.05). Statistical analysis of the electromyography data indicated that, for the subject group as a whole, the peak muscular activity of the gastrocnemius medius (p=0.031), tibialis anterior (p=0.018) and peroneus longus (p=0.019) muscles was significantly reduced during landing when the ankle was taped using zinc oxide tape.