The acute effects of kinesio taping applied to the gastrocnemius muscle on selected motoric characteristics in judo athletes

This study examined the acute effects of kinesiology taping applied to the gastrocnemius muscle on agility, flexibility, speed, postural control (balance), and anaerobic power in judokas. The research was conducted with the participation of 8 male judokas, with an average age of 22.500 ± 2.878 years. Measurements were taken both with and without kinesiology tape application, and the measurement order was randomized. On the first day, one group underwent kinesiology taping followed by performance tests, while the other group performed the tests first. On the second day, the procedure was reversed. The kinesiology tape was applied to the gastrocnemius muscle using two strips. Tests were conducted approximately 30 minutes after the taping, ensuring adequate rest between measurements, and the second-day assessments were conducted 48 hours later. Throughout the study, agility, flexibility, speed, and postural control performances were measured. The T-Test was used for agility testing, postural control was evaluated with the BESS system, and flexibility was assessed on a flat surface. Additionally, a vertical jump test and a 20m sprint test were performed. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program and evaluated with Cohen’s d effect size index, with a significance level set at 0.05. According to the agility test results, the average score in the kinesiology taping group (KBU) was 9.848, while in the control group (KSU), it was 10.6938. Statistical analyses indicated a significant difference between the groups (t = -2.342, p = 0.034). In postural control assessment, the mean balance error score on the foam surface for the KBU group was 6.125 with a standard deviation of 0.835, whereas in the KSU group, it was 11.625 with a standard deviation of 4.534. The Chi-Square test results showed a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.014). No significant differences were found between KBU and KSU in terms of speed and anaerobic power. In conclusion, kinesiology taping was found to have a moderate effect on agility and balance performance. This suggests that applying tape to the gastrocnemius muscle may enhance joint stability and muscle efficiency, thereby improving athletes' movement capabilities.