Abstract des Autors

The purpose of this study was to determine the proprioceptive effects of ankle bracing and taping. Proprioception was assessed in 26 subjects by evaluating ankle joint position sense, which was determined by the subjects ability to actively reproduce a passively positioned joint angle. Testing was performed at positions of 30ø of plantar flexion and 15ø of inversion. Each subject underwent four trials at each test angle under three conditions: braced, taped, and control. For the plantar flexion test, both the braced condition and the taped condition significantly enhanced joint position sense when compared to the control condition. There was no significant difference between the braced and taped conditions. For the inversion test, the taped condition significantly enhanced joint position sense compared to the control condition. There was no significant difference between the braced and the taped conditions. This study demonstrates that ankle bracing and taping improve joint position sense in the stable ankle. Verf.-Referat