Effect of ankle taping and bracing on vertical ground reaction forces during drop landings before and after treadmill jogging

Study Design: Single-group repeated-measures experimental design. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prophylactic ankle stabilization on vertical ground reaction forces before and after treadmill jogging. Background: Previous research has demonstrated acute effects of ankle taping and bracing on ankle joint kinematics and vertical ground reaction forces during drop landings, Based on the number of investigations demonstrating increased range of motion of the braced or taped ankle following exercise, it may be plausible that the aforementioned landing alterations may return to normal following an exercise bout. Methods and Measures: Fourteen healthy recreational participants performed stiff and soft drop landings before and after a 20-minute treadmill exercise bout under 3 different ankle stabilizer conditions (no stabilizer, ankle brace, and ankle tape). A forceplate was used to collect ground reaction force data under the dominant foot. The first and second peak impact force, as well as the time to each of the 2 peak forces, were determined for each trial and used as dependent variables. Results: The time to reach peak forces were significantly less under the ankle brace and tape conditions in comparison to the control (no-stabilizer) condition. Conclusions: It appears that ankle taping and bracing decrease the time to reach peak impact forces. These alterations indicate that during dynamic activity the musculoskeletal structures of the body may be subjected to loads within shorter time periods. Whether these effects are detrimental over time remains speculative at this point and requires further research.