Effects of elastic taping, non-elastic taping and static stretching on recovery after intensive eccentric exercise

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of elastic tape (Kinesio tape) to placebo tape or static stretching on delayed onset muscle soreness. Fifty-one untrained female healthy volunteers were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 17/group), elastic tape, placebo tape and stretching group. Muscle soreness was induced by 4 sets of 25 maximal isokinetic (60°.s⁻¹) eccentric contractions of dominant quadriceps on an isokinetic dynamometer. Compared with placebo tape, the elastic tape participants had less muscle soreness at 72 h post-exercise (p = 0.01). The elastic tape also increased isometric strength at 72 h post-exercise compared with the placebo (p = 0.03) and stretching group (p = 0.02). However, there was little effect between groups for changes in thigh circumference, jumping, pressure pain threshold, rate of perceived exertion, creatine kinase activity and joint motion. Elastic taping increased muscle strength recovery and reduced muscle soreness after intensive exercise.

KEYWORDS:

• Range of motion
• muscle strength
• eccentric exercise
• Kinesio taping

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the Research Center in Back, Neck, Other Joint Pain and Human Performance, Khon Kaen University under grant number 5701 and Graduate School Khon Kaen University under grant number 57212111 for the research funding of this study. Special thanks to Dr. Kaewjai Thepsuthammarat and associate professor Dr. Bandit Thinkhamrop from Khon Kaen University for statistical analysis. We would like to give many thanks to the participants who were involved in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Graduate School Khon Kaen University: [Grant Number 57212111];the Research Center in Back, Neck, Other Joint Pain and Human Performance, Khon Kaen University: [Grant Number 5701].