Compression of the Effect of Taping and Bracing on Functional Performance in Volleyball Player with Ankle Instability

The purpose of the present study was to investigate and compare the impact of taping and two types of braces (Lacy brace and Brace Neoprene) on functional performance of volleyball players with an unstable foot ankle.
In the current comparative research, 15 volleyball players of Iraqi Kurdish State, who had an unstable foot ankle (average age: 21.93±1.94 years, height: 1.85±0.08m, weight: 80.50±7.25kg, and Body Mass Index: 23.37±1.65 kg/m²) were included. Functional tests included Jump Sargent and Y Balance Test. Data was analyzed using repeated Analysis of Variance (repeated ANOVA) in SPSS, version 22 (p˂0.05).
The findings showed that in Brace Neoprene (p˂0.001) and Lacy brace (p˂0.001), the scores of Y Balance Test and all three protecting devices, including taping (p 0.001), brace neoprene (p 0.002), and Lacy brace (p 0.001), had a positive impact on the vertical jump test score, but these three types of protective equipments had no certain superiority over each other prior to and after the practices.
Based on the findings of the present study and since in Y Balance Test the taping had no effect on the results of the test, overall, no difference was found between the three types of protective devices. Also, based on the findings of the previous studies, showing that using braces is less expensive, it seems reasonable to use the brace compared with taping. It is noteworthy to remind that the preference of one of these methods to other is dependent on the factors like the convenience of the athlete and the biomechanical items, which deserve further investigation.