Immediate effect of forearm Kinesio taping on maximal grip strength and force sense in healthy collegiate athletes

Objectives: To determine the immediate effects of applied forearm Kinesio taping on maximal grip strength and force sense of healthy collegiate athletes. Design: Single group, repeated measures study. Setting: Clinical sports medicine laboratory at a university hospital. Participants: Twenty-one healthy collegiate athletes voluntarily participated in this study. All subjects were male (average height: 181.24 +/- 7.60 cm; average body weight: 72.86 +/- 7.03 kg; average age: 20.86 +/- 2.59 years). Main Outcome Measures: First, maximal grip strength of the dominant hand was assessed by hand-held dynamometer. Then, 50% of maximal grip strength was established as the reference value of force sense. Absolute and related force sense errors and maximal grip strength were measured under three conditions: (1) without taping; (2) with placebo taping; and (3) with Kinesio taping. Results: Results revealed no significant differences in maximal grip strength between the three conditions (p = 0.936). Both related and absolute force sense errors in grip strength measurements significantly increased the accuracy of the results under the three conditions (related force sense errors: p < 0.05; absolute force sense errors: p < 0.05). Conclusion: Forearm Kinesio taping may enhance either related or absolute force sense in healthy collegiate athletes. However. Kinesio taping did not result in changes in maximal grip strength in healthy subjects. Crown Copyright (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.