Taping for jump performance: The effects of various knee taping techniques on a drop jump

Background: Drop jump landing (DJL) analysis is used to identify an athlete's reactive strength abilities and landing mechanics. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different knee taping conditions on lower limb kinetics and kinematics during a DJL. Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different knee taping conditions on lower limb kinetics and kinematics during a DJL. Methods: Twenty-one athletes (age: 22.0±2.7 years; height: 1.68±0.08 m; mass: 63.3±10.6 kg) performed a series of 40cm drop jumps under four taping conditions – no tape (NT), dynamic tape (DT), rigid tape (RT), and kinesio-tape (KT). Reactive strength indices (ground contact time (GCT), Landing impact force, and reactive strength index (RSI)) were compared across conditions to determine reactive strength performance. Continuous biomechanical data were analysed using SPM1d repeated measures ANOVA (p<0.05). Results: Significant changes were observed in ground reaction force (GRF) (3-7%, p=0.001) between NT vs RT and KT, GCT (p=0.003) between NT vs KT, RSI (p=0.013) between NT vs KT, peak ankle abduction (p=0.05) and peak knee rotation (p<0.001). SPM1d analyses revealed significant changes in ankle rotation (1-6%; 17-20%; 67-100%), knee abduction (14-16%; 49-51%) and rotation (1-15%; 17-40%; 51-100%), and hip rotation (16%; 71-100%). Conclusion: The knee taping conditions showed minor kinematic changes to the ankle, knee, and hip joint angles. Further, the kinetics revealed that KT showed the most improvement in reactive strength performance, having the highest GRF, contributing to SCC efficiency, and the shortest GCT, yielding the highest RSI. This suggests that KT on the knee may contribute to reactive strength performance in a DJL.