Introduction
One of the philosophical decisions made by novice athletic trainers is determining which is better: taping or bracing the ankle joint. There are several factors to consider including efficiency, stability, injury prevention and cost effectiveness. Ankle sprains are one of the most common athletic injuries with most occurring to the lateral ligaments of the ankle.1, 2,3,4,5 In American Football ankle sprains comprise approximately 10-15% of all injuries whereas 70% of college basketball players have had at least one ankle sprain. Furthermore ankle injuries are common in soccer, field hockey and other sports.3 To determine between taping an ankle or using a brace, effectiveness, efficiency, and cost effect are taken into consideration.
When researchers compare taping and bracing there are several considerations which must be addressed. The researcher has to look at the type of tape, how the tape is applied, and whether there are extra measures taken such at spatting along with a normal ankle tape job.5 The researcher also has to look at the type of brace, how the brace is applied, who applies the brace, and how long the brace will last in an active sport season.5
Researchers have studied how to treat an ankle sprain, but there are not as many that have looked at whether using tape or using a brace is more effective in preventing injury.1, 3 Those who focus on prevention take into account proprioception, patient satisfaction, cost-benefit, and kinematics.2, 3, 4, 5 Evaluating various evidence provided in research, athletic trainers can decide which intervention is best suited for their practice.
Taping
Studies have shown taping an ankle can limit range of motion if done correctly.1, 5 Another study done by Reut...
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...rown C. Does Wearing a Prophylactic Ankle Brace During Drop Landings Affect Lower Extremity Kinematics and Ground Reaction Forces?. Journal Of Applied Biomechanics [serial online]. April 2013;29(2):205-213. Available from: SPORTDiscus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed January 26, 2014.
5. The effect of taping versus semi-rigid bracing on patient outcome and satisfaction in ankle sprains: a prospective, randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders [serial online]. January 2012;13(1):81-87. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed March 23, 2014.
6. REUTER G, DAHL A, SENCHINA D. Ankle Spatting Compared to Bracing or Taping during Maximal- Effort Sprint Drills. International Journal Of Exercise Science [serial online]. January 2011;4(1):305-320. Available from: SPORTDiscus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed January 26, 2014.
Injuries to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) are one of the most frequent and devastating knee injuries that occur during sporting activities, accounting for one fifth of all sport related knee injuries ¹ ². Injury estimates have been reported in current literature to be between 1.5% - 1.7% per year within a healthy athletic population ³ ⁴. However, incidence rates for ACL injury prove difficult to access as not all individuals with ACL injuries seek medical attention ⁵. Current trends show a direct correlation between the rising incidence of ACL injury and increased sporting participation ⁶. In spite of increasing incidence rates, ACL injuries remain fairly uncommonly in relation to the amount of individuals participating in sporting activities ⁷ ⁸. Nevertheless, they still prove to be a frequent source of disability for those individuals affected ⁷ ⁸. Individuals affected with ACL injury may suffer from a number of adverse effects including dynamic knee instability, altered movement patterns, reduced functional performance and debilitating pain ⁷⁻¹⁰.
Achilles tendinopathy and its contributing pathologies has been a heavily researched topic throughout multiple professions. Although a unified consensus and classification on the underlying pathology is yet to be reached, a shift from the term tendinitis to tendinosis has slowly been adopted, and is now believed to follow a continuum. Previous incorrect belief of an inflammatory pathophysiology has lead to the development of treatment options that are inappropriate and unsuccessful, leaving the tendon unable to adequately heal or strengthen increasing its risk of repetitive re-injury and the development of chronic Achilles tendinopathy. As a result an understanding of the pathophysiology, its effect on lower limb function and biomechanical risk factors contributing to the development of Achilles tendinopathy need to be considered when developing a rehabilitation program to coincide with new research and to address the underlying degeneration and failed healing of the tendon.
Murray H, Husk L. (2001) Effect of kinesio taping on proprioception in the ankle. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 31; A-37.
Ankle sprains have three degrees of injury ranging from 1-3. The level of the ankle sprain is determined by the amount that the ligament is torn or stretched. A grade one sprain is categorized as a slight stretching and damage to the fibers of the ligament. A grade 2 sprain is characterized as partial tearing of the ligament and abnormal laxity of the ankle. A grade 3 sprain is characterized by complete tear of the ligament if it can be pushed or pulled in certain movements there is gross instability. The movements of the ankle are abduction, adduction, plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, and inversion, eversion. The ligaments of the ankle hold the ankle bones and joint into position. These ligaments protect the ankle joint from abnormal movements such as twisting, turning, and rolling of the foot.
In spite of this the rate of ACL injury is almost equal through all levels of sports, from beginner, to recreational, to professional athletes. The most widely publicized incident of ACL damage has come from Theresa Edwards who was a top female athlete. She was a basketball player who went to the limit with sports. She went beyond her capability and her ligament couldn’t withstand the pressure and snapped. She is not the only but just one example of many who have suffered this same problem. As female athletes continue to become more competitive and aggressive, ACL damage continues to rise.
Therapeutic stretches of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. If the ligament are weakened, cross fiber friction them to try to regain some of the integrity of the ankle back.
This article is about the results of a survey conducted by three PhD’s; Janet Simon, Matthew Donahue, and Carrie Docherty, and was published by the International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training. The purpose of the survey was to determine Athletic Trainers current utilization of ankle support, and to determine ATs current attitudes towards the use of ankle taping and bracing. It gives some history and benefits of ankle bracing and taping, and how it has become a multimillion dollar industry, considering that 66-73% of all college athletes have reported an ankle sprain. Also, a third of people with ankle sprains will either re-sprain the ankle or report feelings of instability after the initial sprain. Ankle taping has become essential part of sports medicine,
Anderson, D. I., & Sidaway, B. (2013) Kicking biomechanics: Importance of balance. Lower Extremity Review Magazine.
The majority of ACL injuries suffered during athletic participation are of the noncontact variety. Three main noncontact mechanisms have been identified planting and cutting, straight-knee landing and one-step stop landing with the knee hyperextended. Pivoting and sudden deceleration are also common mechanisms of noncontact ACL injury. Basketball, soccer, and volleyball consistently produce some of the highest ACL injury rates across various age groups. Other activities with a high rate of injury are gymnastics, martial arts, and running. In most sports, injuries occur more often in games than in practice. Many injuries have occurred during the first 30 minutes of play. One-reason physicians are seeing more ACL injuries in female patients that more women play sports, and they play more intensely. But as they continued to do more studies, they are finding that women's higher rate of ACL is probably due ...
She immediately scheduled an appointment with an ankle specialist, who diagnosed me with hairline fractures throughout my ankle. At this moment, I thought that my career in sports was over as I would never come back from the months spent in a boot, unable to participate in any form of physical activity, and the months of therapy that followed, but I persevered and returned to playing condition before too long. Some people aren’t so fortunate. They sustain career ending injuries which often include soft tissue damage. The problem with injuries like these is not that they will never heal, as many of them will, but the time it takes for them to heal.
High school football players sustain a major proportion of season injuries. A major part of these regions are due to ligament sprains, targeted stretching exercises may be beneficial. The most injured players were those with the position of running back and linebackers. In the 2005-2006 season there were more than half a million injuries nationally of high school football players. This data was collected from over 100 high school football teams.
ACL injury is quite prevalent in the United States. About every 1 in 3,000 people suffer from an ACL injury in their lifetime, and approximately 95,000 new incidences of ACL injury occur each year. The largest amount of these injuries occurs during sports which involve twisting, cutting, jumping and deceleration. The mechanisms that can cause an ACL injury are excessive valgus (outside of knee) stress, forced hyperextension, or forced external rotation of the femur on the a fixed tibia (Evans, 2001). Many associate the tearing of the ACL with a large impact or collision, however 80% of all ACL injuries are non-contact injuries. This statistic shows that ACL injuries are mostly caused by the individual themselves as opposed to an opponent or other person. The exact mechanism of noncontact ACL tears consists of poor knee positioning (e.g. landing with an extended knee) and a strong, unopposed quad contraction (Murray, 2013).
Lee SE, Cho SH. The effect of McConnell taping on vastus medialis and lateralis activity during squatting in adults with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 2013;9(2):326-330
Traumatic injuries seem to occur a lot in the sport of football. Knee injuries seem to be one of the most occurring traumatic injuries in football (Become an Advocate for Sports Safety). The main types of traumatic knee injuries are: tearing/spraining of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and the meniscus, which is the cartilage that is in the knee (Become an Advocate for Sports Safety). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a very vital ligament in the knee. It is the main stabilizer of the knee. Surprisingly usually the anterior cruciate ligament is torn from a non-contact twisting of the knee (5 Most Common Football injuries (and How to Prevent Them)). The knee normally pops and it will begin to swell and it may feel unstable (5 Most Common Football injuries (and How to Prevent Them)). Swelling depends on the severity in the tear of the ligament. The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four main ligaments that provide stability to the knee joint (Common Football Injuries). It is the most important out of the four. Injuries to any of the cruciate ligaments in the knee are most of the time sprains (Common Football Injuries). The anterior cruciate ligament being the most often stretched, strained, sprained or either tore (Common Football Injuries). Most of the knee injuries that occur in footbal...
What is Biomechanics? It is the study of forces and their effects on the living system (McGinnis, 2013). In this essay, I will be looking at the biomechanics of running. Running, as well as any other sport requires skills for which advancement is due to consistent deliberate practice and effective development. However, runners should establish a training system that actively builds their original running pattern instead of basing it on what works well for others. Understanding the biomechanics of running gives a better knowledge of their running techniques and points out areas of concerns that require improvement. Despite the fact that running is dependent on the interaction of the whole body, breaking down the running pace into single components allows us to further understand how minor changes can increase improve performance and decrease injury risk.