Immediate effects of femoral external rotational and abductoral taping on ground reaction force characteristics during running

Introduction and aim: Taping is a common method used by athletes to improve muscular function. The aim was to assess the immediate effect of femoral external rotational and abductoral taping on three-dimensional ground reaction force characteristics, their time to peak, impulse, displacement of center of pressure, vertical loading rate, and free moment during stance phase of running.
24 healthy men (age: 24.6±2.5 years; mass: 74.8±6.6 kg; 177.1±7.9 cm) were included in the study. Ground reaction force data was recorded by a Kistler force platform (sampling rate: 1000 Hz). Paired sample t-test was used for statistical analysis.
Compared to without taping condition, taping significantly reduced the peak impact and peak active vertical ground reaction forces during stance phase of running (P>0.05; low to moderate effect size). Taping application increased and decreased the vertical loading rate (19%, P=0.047, moderate effect size) and the peak free moment values (P Femoral external rotational and abductoral taping could improve the values of free moment, but this is not the case in vertical loading rate during the stance phase of running.