Using Taping for Injury Prevention in Sports

exercise and sports.

Fortunately, poor movement patterns are not permanent and can be improved. Techniques such as cueing, facilitation and feedback can be used during activities and exercise to retrain the muscles. The emphasis of these exercises are more co-ordination and control rather than strength.

Sometimes it can be difficult to assess a poor movement pattern by yourself. Pain and discomfort can also be very complex and involve several systems. If you have been experiencing pain during an activity you perform or when you are participating in physical activity you may benefit from a consult with a physiotherapist.

A physiotherapist can assess the area of the body as well as the task that may be giving you discomfort. Your physiotherapist can also provide you with the right exercises as well as the right cueing and facilitation to get the muscles working correctly.

If you have any questions or want to discuss this topic further feel free to contact one of our physiotherapists at Moreton All Body Care.

MANY athletes and sportspeople, whether they play high level or not, have had some experience with sports taping - also called strapping. Taping is completed by a qualified sports trainer/health professional. It is usually provided to prevent injury, reduce pain or facilitate/inhibit areas of the body.

There have been discussions about taping and whether regular taping has negative consequences. It has been suggested that frequent taping will reduce the athlete’s performance or weaken the area of taping. Still, evidence has shown that this technique does not negatively affect the athlete’s performance, with or without a history of an injury.

There are many benefits to using taping in sports, such as:

Injury prevention: Studies show that taping will significantly reduce ankle sprains with rigid tape, especially for those with a history of ankle sprains. This also applies to braces.

Pain reduction: Reduction of stress on structures around the injured area. Reduce swelling in acute injuries.

Proprioceptive feedback: Taping can improve proprioception by enhancing muscular control and can provide ankle position awareness.

Psychological: Taping increases confidence and decreases anxiety about sustaining an injury in athletes - with or without previous injury- and provides a feeling of stability and reassurance.

Taping is usually provided for the athlete during games for injury prevention or following an injury for protection. It is arguable due to the training and rehabilitation being completed outside of the games and with the taping only being on for a few hours, it is not enough to weaken any joints or ligaments. netball, with a history of ankle sprains.

In summary, it is advisable for the average athlete/sportsperson to be taped up for games, especially when returning back after an injury or with a history of injury. There are circumstances where taping would not be advisable such as skin allergies and conditions, open wounds or sensory loss around the area.

It is now recommended to tape or brace all ankles for specific sports, such as basketball and

If you have any concerns about taping or bracing as an alternative, you should chat with your team trainer or physiotherapist. Moreton