EFFECT OF KINESIO TAPE ON ANKLE JOINT POSITION SENSE AND EVERTORS PEAK TORQUE IN FOOTBALL PLAYERS FOLLOWING EXERCISE INDUCED FATIGUE

Aim: This study aimed to assess whether the application of Kinesio taping (KT) of peroneus longus muscle would maintain ankle joint position sense (JPS), and evertors peak torque (EPT) in football players following exercise-induced fatigue. Methods: Forty football players from 1st and 2nd divisions of professional Saudi football leagues volunteered in this study. Volunteers were randomly assigned to Kinesio tape group (KTG) or control group (CG). Volunteers? ankle JPS, at 100 inversion and full range of motion of inversion -50 (FROM -50), and EPT were evaluated at baseline and following fatigue protocol. Volunteers in KTG were taped after baseline evaluation. Results: this study showed that volunteers in KTG recorded a non-significant difference of absolute angular error (AAE) post fatigue compared to baseline for both target angles. While volunteers in CG showed significantly higher AAE post-fatigue compared to baseline for both target angles. Further, KTG showed a significantly lower AAE post fatigue at target angle 10o inversion compared to CG. EPT was significantly lower post fatigue compared to baseline in KTG and CG. Further, post fatigue EPT was non- significantly different between KTG and CG. Conclusion: KT application might help in maintaining JPS, but not EPT following exercise-induced fatigue in football players.