Article

It has been suggested that skin stimulation using tape glued to the skin over the
Achilles tendon helps to improve postural control. It was recently shown that
these effects might emerge only after muscle fatigue and not during non-fatigue
standing. Here we tested the influence of skin stimulation on postural control
before and after fatigue of ankle plantar flexors. Eighteen subjects stood
quietly on a force plate while the center of pressure was monitored before and
after fatigue of ankle plantar flexors muscles, with and without medical tape
glued to the skin over the Achilles tendon. Our results suggested main effects of
tape stimulation before fatigue (P<.05) and significant effect of tape
stimulation after fatigue only for amplitude of center of pressure in the
anteroposterior direction. The novelty of our study is that most of the center of
pressure variables are improved by skin stimulation when the ankle plantar
flexors are not fatigued. Therefore the benefits of tape stimulation during
fatigue condition are questionable.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS