Effect of kinesiotaping following training inducing ankle stabilisers fatigue on balance and weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in male football players

<i>Purpose</i>: This study investigated whether kinesiotaping applied to the ankle joint after exercise causing fatigue of the muscles stabilising this joint has an effect on the ability to maintain static balance, dynamic balance and weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in male football players without ankle pain and instability. <i>Methods</i>: The study included 50 men aged 18-30 years, practising football, assigned to the study group (subjected to kinesiotaping for the ankle joint) or the control group (without kinesiotaping). Exam 1st was performed prior to a 20- minute physical exercise causing fatigue of the muscles stabilising the ankle joint. Kinesiotaping was then applied in the study group. Exam 2nd was performed after exercise. Research tools were the Flamingo Balance Test (FBT), the Y-Balance Test (YBT) and Ankle Lunge Test (ALT). The data were analyzed based on Student's <i>t</i>-test for independent variables, Mann-Whitney <i>U</i>-test, Student's <i>t</i>-test for dependent variables, Wilcoxon test. <i>Results</i>: In the case of FBT, the values of the differences in 1st and 2nd examination results did not yield statistically significant results (<i>p</i> > 0.05), and for YBT and ALT, the values for the differences between 1st and 2nd examination in the study group were greater than in the control group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>Conclusions</i>: Kinesiotaping applied to the ankle joint after exercise causing fatigue of the muscles stabilising this joint has a beneficial effect on the ability to maintain dynamic balance and weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, whereas it does not significantly improve static balance in male football players without ankle pain and instability.