Immediate effects of Kinesio Taping(®) on neuromuscular performance of quadriceps and balance in individuals submitted to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A randomized clinical trial

Objectives: Investigate the immediate effects of Kinesio Taping(®) on neuromuscular performance of femoral quadriceps and balance in individuals submitted to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Design: This is a randomized clinical trial.

Methods: Forty-seven male participants, between 12 and 17 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, underwent initial assessment consisting of postural balance analysis using baropodometry, followed by eccentric and concentric isokinetic assessment at 60°/s of knee extensors, concomitant to electromyographic signals captured from the vastus lateralis muscle. They were then randomly allocated to one of the following groups: control, placebo and Kinesio Taping(®). Kinesio Taping(®) group participants were submitted to Kinesio Taping(®) on the femoral quadriceps of the affected limb, while placebo group subjects used the same procedure without the tension proposed by the method. The control group remained at rest for 10min. All participants were reassessed following the same procedure as the initial evaluation. The following variables were analyzed: peak torque/body weight and muscle potential using dynamometry; amplitude of antero-posterior and latero-lateral displacement from the center of pressure using baropodometry; and amplitude of muscle activation (root mean square) applying surface electromyography.

Results: None of the variables analyzed showed significant intergroup or intragroup differences.

Conclusions: Kinesio Taping(®) does not alter the neuromuscular performance of femoral quadriceps or balance of subjects submitted to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, for any of the variables analyzed.