Effects of arch taping on peak force, surface contact area and neuromuscular activity at midstance

Abstract

This study investigated two different arch taping techniques in the treatment of athletes with medial tibia1 stress syndrome (MTSS). Peak force (PF), surface contact area (SCA). surface electromyography (EMG) at peak and average were analyzed in 8 college aged Ss (5 F, 3 M) during untaped (NT), traditional arch taped (TAT), and experimental arch taped (XAT) walking and running. A foot switch was used to mark time to analyze peak EMG and average EMG during midstance for the tibialis anterior (TA). The EMED SF system was used to collect force and surface area data at 70 Hz. Novel software was used to analyze the data. Statistical analysis using repeated measures ANOVA and a Bonferroni's post hoc indicated there were no significant differences between conditions for walking. Mean PF on the medial aspect of the middle 1/3 of the foot in the TAT condition was significantly (p<_ 0.05) greater than the NT condition during running. The mean SCA of the lateral aspect of the middle 1/3 of the foot was significantly less in the TAT than the other conditions. Trends in the data, indicated that in running there was a similar shift of PF and SCA to the lateral aspect of the foot in the XAT condition. In walking, muscle activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) was greatest in the XAT condition, which may be interpreted as a shift of muscle activity from the TA to the tibialis posterior. The data may support the use of the XAT over the TAT to relieve MTSS, due to the unfavorable results for the TAT condition.