Effects of Elastic Wrist Taping on Maximum Grip Strength

Kenji Takahashi^1, , Shin-ichi Demura², Takanori Noguchi³, Gou Demura⁴ and Xu Ning⁵

¹Teikyo Heisei University

²Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University

³Fukui University of Technology

⁴Tagami Orthopedic Clinic

⁵Graduate School of Kanazawa University

Cite this paper

Kenji Takahashi, Shin-ichi Demura, Takanori Noguchi, Gou Demura and Xu Ning. Effects of Elastic Wrist Taping on Maximum Grip Strength. American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2013; 1(3):33-36. doi: 10.12691/AJSSM-1-3-1

Abstract

In this study, we examined the effects of elastic wrist taping with different pressure levels on the maximum grip strength. The subjects were 20 healthy male university students. The tape was wrapped three times around the wrist at the radial and ulnar styloid process. Taping pressure was measured using a pressure measuring system for stockings and bandages. A pressure sensor was placed over the palmaris longus muscle tendon, 1.5 cm proximal to the palmar crease of the subject’s wrist on the dominant upper limb. The following experimental conditions were assessed: control condition (CC), without attachments; sensor condition (SC), with an attached sensor and a cover tape with minimum pressure application (1–5 hPa); and four pressure conditions (PCs), with pressure applications of 30, 60, 90, and 120 hPa using elastic tapes. Grip strength was significantly greater for CC than for PCs. However, the overall decrease in grip strength was still relatively small. No differences were observed in the grip strengths among the four PC groups. Our results showed that grip strength exertion decreased on the application of higher pressures of elastic tape wrapping and that the degree of decrease was similar for all PCs above 30 hPa.

Keywords

taping pressure, pressure-measuring system, palmaris longus muscle tendon, elastic taping

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

[1]	Constantinou M, Brown M. Therapeutic taping for musculoskeletal conditions. Elsevier: Churchill Livingstone, 2010.
[2]	Reese D. Prophylactic wrist taping In: Pocketbook of Taping Techniques. R. Macdonald, eds. 1e. Elsevier: Churchill Livingstone 2010: 178-181.
[3]	Yamamoto I, Ichimiya S, Kimamoto K, Morita H, Nakajima T, Suzuki A. Athletic taping for preventing injury was performed for healthy athletes before exercise. Bulletin of Nippon Sports Science University 15(2): 71-77, 1986.
[4]	Kauranen K, Siira P, Vanharanta H. The effect of strapping on the motor performance of the ankle and wrist joints. Scand J Med Sci Sports 7: 238-243, 1997.
[5]	Rettig A, Stube K, Shelbourne K. Effects of finger and wrist taping on grip strength. Am J Sports Med 25(1): 96-98, 1997.
[6]	Morrissey, D. Proprioceptive shoulder taping. J Bodyw Mov Ther 4(3): 189-194, (2000).
[7]	Morin, GE, Tiberio, D, Austin G. The effect of upper trapezius taping on electromyographic activity in the upper and middle trapezius region. J Sport Rehabil 6: 309-318, 1997.
[8]	Selkowitz, DM, Chaney, C, Stuckey, SJ, and Vlad, G. The effect of scapular taping on the surface electromyographic signal amplitude of shoulder girdle muscles during upper extremity elevation in individuals with suspected shoulder impingement syndrome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 37(11): 694-702, 2007.
[9]	McCarthy P, Fleming H, Caulfield B. The effect of a vastus lateralis tape on muscle activity during stair climbing. Man Ther 14: 330-337, 2009.
[10]	Tobin, S, and Robinson, G. The effect of vastus lateralis inhibition taping technique on vastus lateralis and vastus medialis obliquus activity. Physiotherapy 86(4): 173-183, 2000.
[11]	Alexander C M, Stynes S, Thomas A, Lewis J, Harrison PJ. Does tape facilitate or inhibit the lower fibers of trapezius? Man Ther 8(1): 37-41, 2003.
[12]	Alexander C M, Mcmullan M, Harrison, PJ. What is the effect of taping along or across a muscle on motoneuron excitability? A study using triceps surae. Man Ther 13(1): 57-62, 2008.
[13]	Wilson T, Carter N, Thomas G. A multicenter, single-masked of medial, neutral, and lateral patellar taping in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 33(8): 437-448, 2003.
[14]	Pfeiffer RP, DeBeliso M, Shea KG, Kelley L, Irmischer B, Harris C. Kinematic MRI assessment of McConnell taping before and after exercise. Am J Sports Med 32(3): 621-628, 2004.
[15]	Parkhurst T, Burnett C. Injury and proprioception in the lower back. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 19(5): 282-295, 1994.
[16]	Takeuchi Y, Sawada T, Taguchi D. Compression pressure between the elastic tapes and non-elastic tapes in the fixation [in Japanese]. The Quarterly Journal of Japan Society of Health Sciences 23: 147-151, 2007.
[17]	Ooizumi Y, Matsuzawa E, Iida Kenichi. Establishment of evaluation methods of clothing pressure of high supported clothes-The relation between clothing pressure of stretch clothes measured on a dummy and the human body [in Japanese]. Bulletin of TIRI 2: 120-121, 2007.
[18]	Hirai M. Clinical application of elastic stockings [in Japanese]. Japanese Journal of Phlebology 18(5): 239-245, 2007.
[19]	Fentem PH, Marilyn G, Gooden BA, Yeung CK. Control of distension of varicose veins achieved by leg bandages, as used after injection sclerotherapy. BMJ 2: 725-727 1976.
[20]	Demura S, Sato S, and Nagasawa Y. Re-ex-amination of useful items for determining hand domi-nance [in Japanese]. Arch Sci Med (Torino) 168: 169-177, 2009.
[21]	Cordova, ML, Scott, BD, Ingersoll, CD, et al Leblanc, MJ. Effects of ankle support on lower-extremity functional performance. Med & Sci in Sports & Execise 37(4): 635-641, 2005.
[22]	Hirai M. Elastic stockings and intermittent pneumatic compression in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism [in Japanese]. Japanese Journal of Phlebolgy 14(1): 49-62, 2003.
[23]	G*power 3.1.7 software. Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. (http://www.psycho.uni-duesseldorf.de/abteilungen/aap/gpower3/).