EFFECTS OF MULLIGAN ANKLE TAPING IN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS WITH CHRONIC ANKLE INSTABILITY

Ö.E. Şenel^1,2, S. Çolak³

¹İstinye University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, İstanbul, Turkey, ²İstanbul Medipol University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, İstanbul, Turkey, ³Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University, Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, Balıkesir, Turkey

Background: Chronic ankle sprain (CAI) is one of the most common injuries among volleyball players. The viscoelastic properties of the lower extremity muscles play a major role in the formation and prevention of these injuries.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Mulligan ankle taping on the Tibialis Anterior (TA), Peroneus Longus (PL), Gastrocnemius Lateralis (GCL), and Medialis (GCM) muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity as well as the performance, joint position sense (JPS), static and dynamic balance and the self-confidence of the ankle during the tests of female volleyball players.

Methods: 34 volunteer professional volleyball players with (n=12) and without (n=22) CAI were included in the study. Mulligan ankle taping was applied. Measurements were taken before and after the intervention. Muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity were measured with MyotonPRO hand-held device. Static balance was measured with the single leg stance test (SLST) while the eyes-closed, dynamic balance was measured with the Y balance test (YBT). Single leg hopping test (SLHT) was used to evaluate performance and an active position sense test was used for JPS. During the static and dynamic balance and performance tests, the confidence in the ankle was evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Results: Mulligan ankle taping had significant effects on the muscle tone and stiffness of the PL, GKL, and GKM muscles. Further, there were significant differences in the duration of SLST, the distance of YBT (all directions) and SLHT, JPS, and confidence in players with CAI (p<0,05). Significant changes were seen in PL and GCL tone, TA elasticity, YBT (all directions), SLHT, JPS, and confidence in athletes without CAI (p<0.05). A significant difference was found between groups in TA elasticity, in the anterior direction of the YBT, and sense of confidence in the posterolateral direction of the YBT (p<0.05).

Conclusions: In the study, we observed that taping was effective on viscoelastic properties of muscles, balance, performance, proprioception, and sense of confidence in athletes with CAI. For this reason, taping may prefer for athletes with CAI during sports activities.

Implications: Mulligan ankle taping can be preferred as a fast and inexpensive method that can be preferred as a clinical treatment with the positive changes it creates in groups with and without CAI. It can also be used to prevent CAI formation by reducing the risk of re-injury in athletes who have suffered ankle sprains. At the same time, this taping method can be applied by clinicians to improve the performance of healthy athletes and prevent future injuries.

Funding acknowledgements: No financial support was used

Keywords:
Mulligan ankle taping
Chronic ankle instability
Viscoelastic propoties of the muscles

Topics:
Sport & sports injuries
Musculoskeletal: lower limb
Musculoskeletal

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: İstanbul Medipol University

Committee: ETHICS COMMITTEE OF NON-INVASIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH

Ethics number: 927, December 10th 2020