The acute effects of kinesio taping and neural mobilization on hand grip strength and upper extremity balance in judo athletes

ABSTRACT THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF KINESIO TAPING AND NEURAL MOBILIZATION ON HAND GRIP STRENGTH AND UPPER EXTREMITY BALANCE IN JUDO ATHLETES Yalçın, Yavuz Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Graduate Program Master's Program in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Supervisor: Assistant Professor Gönül ERTUNÇ GÜLÇELİK, Ph.D. Judo is a sport that involves high-intensity physical techniques, in which strength, endurance, flexibility, agility, and coordination play a central role. During matches, judokas strive both to maintain their own balance and to disrupt that of their opponents. The initial contact between two judokas occurs through gripping the opponent's judo uniform (judogi) using various techniques known as kumikata. Throughout this combat process, motor skills such as balance, agility, reaction time, and coordination are of significant importance. These skills are key components for success in judo and directly influence athletes' performance. The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of kinesio taping and neural mobilization techniques applied to the upper extremity on upper extremity balance and hand grip strength in judo athletes. A total of 50 competitive judokas aged between 15 and 25 years were included in the study. The sociodemographic data of the athletes were recorded. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups using a simple randomization method: the neural mobilization group (Group 1) and the kinesio taping group (Group 2). Hand grip strength and upper extremity Ybalance test measurements were performed in the assessments. After the initial evaluation, Group 1 received the neural mobilization technique, while kinesio taping was applied to the athletes in Group 2. The assessments were repeated immediately after the interventions. The results showed a significant difference in the upper extremity Y-balance scores following the neural mobilization and kinesio taping applications (p<0.05). However, no significant effect was found on hand grip strength (p>0.05). In conclusion, neural mobilization and kinesio taping are effective in improving upper extremity balance in judokas, but they do not produce an acute effect on hand grip strength. Key Words: Neural mobilization, Kinesio tape, Upper extremity balance, Hand Grip strength, Judo.