Taping on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and dynamic stability in CrossFit® practitioners: a randomized trial.

Background: CrossFit^® is a high-intensity, functional movement modality that requires a good ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and stability for safe and effective performance. This study investigated the effects of talar taping on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and dynamic stability in CrossFit^® practitioners.

Methods: This was a two-arm, single-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Healthy CrossFit^® practitioners were randomly assigned to the experimental group, which self-applied a talar taping for four weeks, or the control group, which trained as usual. Participants were evaluated at baseline, after the first session, and after four weeks after allocation. Dorsiflexion range of motion was assessed with the weight-bearing lunge test, and ankle dynamic stability was evaluated with the modified-Star Excursion Balance Test. Both feet were considered. Statistical analyses followed the principles of intention-to-treat analysis.

Results: Twenty-two participants (44 feet) were included. For the dorsiflexion range of motion, no between-groups statistically significant difference was found after a single session (0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.26 to 1.17, P=0.21) or after four weeks (0.21, 95% CI -1.19 to 1.61, P=0.76). For dynamic stability, no between-groups statistically significant difference was found after a single session; however, after 4 weeks, a statistically significant difference between groups was found in favor of the experimental group in the posteromedial direction (P=0.04), posterolateral direction (P=0.02) and in the composite value (P=0.04).

Conclusions: Adding a self-applied talar taping to four-week training sessions may improve ankle dynamic stability in CrossFit^® practitioners.