Continual use of augmented low-Dye taping increases arch height in standing but does not influence neuromotor control of gait Melinda Franettovich a,b , Andrew Chapman a,b,c , Peter Blanch b , Bill Vicenzino a, * a The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia b Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia c McGill University, Montreal, Canada 1. Introduction The physiological effects of augmented low-Dye (ALD) taping have been shown to include altered foot and leg posture during standing, walking and jogging, altered plantar pressures during walking and jogging and reduced leg muscle activity during walking [1]. To date these investigations have focused on the initial effects of ALD tape, that is the effects immediately following application, and investigate a period of no more than 30 min of walking or running with tape in situ. Clinically, ALD tape is used in the management of lower limb musculoskeletal conditions and may be applied continually over a series of days or weeks to assist in the resolution of symptoms and restoration of function [2,3]. Despite its clinical use, the physiological effect of ALD tape following a period of continual use has not been investigated. For example, the clinical efficacy of ALD tape may be associated with the effects of the technique while in situ (i.e. increase in arch height, reduction in muscle activity) or to adaptations/training of the neuromotor system that occur with continual usage of the tape. This has implications for the use of ALD tape by clinicians: i.e. does tape need to be in situ for some time to achieve the desired longer- term physiological effects? The aim of our study was to investigate the physiological effects of continual wear of ALD taping for a notionally clinically relevant period of time. We hypothesised that continual use of ALD taping would influence muscle recruitment and movement patterns during gait, as well as static foot posture and foot mobility. 2. Methods 2.1. Participants Twenty-eight females participated in the study. This study was one of a series of studies investigating ALD tape in a cohort comprised of 14 females with exercise related leg pain and 14 matched asymptomatic females. Previously we have observed similar initial physiological effects of ALD tape regardless of injury status [4]. To control for any differences in baseline characteristics, we allocated an equal number of asymptomatic individuals to each intervention group (tape n = 7, control n = 7) and an equal number of symptomatic individuals to each intervention group (tape n = 7, control n = 7). Therefore, injury status was not a factor in this analysis. Individuals were excluded if they had a history of surgery to the lower limb, blood clotting or bleeding abnormalities, a neurological or cardiac condition, or an allergy to tape. The study was approved by the University human research ethics committee and all participants provided informed written consent. Gait & Posture 31 (2010) 247–250 ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received 10 July 2009 Received in revised form 11 October 2009 Accepted 25 October 2009 Keywords: Electromyography Kinematics Lower limb Physiotherapy ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of continual use of augmented low-Dye (ALD) taping on neuromotor control of the lower limb during gait, as well as foot posture and mobility. Twenty-eight females were randomly allocated to wear ALD tape continuously or a no-tape control for a mean 12  2 days. Electromyographic activity from 12 lower limb muscles, three-dimensional motion at the ankle, knee, hip and pelvis (i.e., measures of neuromotor control) and foot posture and mobility was measured before and after the tape or control interventions. For the tape group, arch height ratio (=arch height/distance from heel to first metatarsophalangeal joint line) was greater by 0.006 (95% confidence interval: 0.0002–0.01, p = 0.04) following the intervention period, whereas no change was observed for the control group (0.003 (0.01– 0.004), p = 0.36). The difference between groups (0.009 (0.0004–0.02), p = 0.04) equated to a 0.16 cm increase in arch height for the tape group following continual use of ALD tape. There was no change in neuromotor control of gait following continual use of ALD taping (p > 0.05). Continual use of ALD tape for approximately 12 days produced a small change in foot posture, but no alteration in neuromotor control. Previous literature suggests that this increase in arch height is likely to be clinically relevant and may be one factor that contributes to the known efficiency of ALD tape in the treatment of lower extremity pain and injury. ß 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. * Corresponding author at: Division of Physiotherapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 3365 2781; fax: +61 7 3365 2775. E-mail address: b.vicenzino@uq.edu.au (B. Vicenzino). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Gait & Posture journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/gaitpost 0966-6362/$ – see front matter ß 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.10.015