The effect of kinesio tape on neuromuscular activity of peroneus longus.

Background:
Functional ankle instability is the result of sensorimotor or structural deficits. The commonly used kinesio tape (KT) is supposed to have a positive influence on sensorimotor functions.

Methods:
Eight women and two men (mean ± SD, age 24.4 ± 3.3 years) with functional ankle instability with recurrent ankle sprains ran downhill on a treadmill (3.3 m/s and a negative slope of 5°). The first trial was without KT, the second with KT on the peroneus longus (PL) muscle. Neuromuscular activity was measured using surface electromyography for 15 seconds. Sensation of giving way was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS). Comparisons were made between measurements with and without KT using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. The level of significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results:
None of the chosen parameters for preactivation, reflex activation, or total activation showed statistically significant differences between the two trials (P > 0.05). The mean values for the sensation of giving way were lower with KT (VAS, median 1.2, range 0–2.8) than without (VAS, median 1.8, range 0–3.9), but did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.102) or clinical relevance.

Conclusion: KT in participants with functional ankle instability (FAI) seems to have no effect on the neuromuscular activity of PL and sensation of giving way during downhill running.