Acute effect of Dynamic Tape™ application to the gluteus medius muscle on lower limb kinetics in healthy women: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background

Dynamic tape™ (DT) is a biomechanical tape used to manage load directly, modify movement patterns, and assist functioning. Despite its increasing use in clinical practice, few studies have evaluated its effectiveness in improving postural stability, balance, and lower limb kinetics during jump landing tasks. This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of applying DT to the gluteus medius (GM) muscle on balance strategies during squatting, as well as on jump landing kinetics in asymptomatic active women.

Methods

A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed with 32 healthy and recreationally active women randomly assigned to three groups: 1) submitted to the DT application in active form on the GM (BG; n = 9); 2) submitted to the DT application in placebo form on the GM (PG; n = 12), and 3) not submitted to any form of intervention (CG; n = 11). Center of pressure data was assessed using a force platform during the single-leg squat (SLS), and jump landing kinetics was assessed using the same platform during the drop landing (DL) and anterior jump (AJ) tasks under two conditions (with and without DT application).

Results

There was no significant effect of group or time factors, and no significant group × time interaction for any stabilometric outcome measure during the SLS and for any kinetic outcome measure during the DL and AJ (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

DT functionally applied to the GM muscle had no acute effects on balance conditions and jump landing kinetics in asymptomatic active women.