Immediate effects of elastic tape application on the foot sole: a randomized controlled trial.
Riyaka Ito, Tatsuya Igawa, Ryunosuke Urata and 4 others
PMID 37405190WHAT IT FOUND
Elastic tape on the foot sole did not improve ankle dorsiflexion range of motion or calf strength in healthy students overall.
A subgroup with tight hamstrings showed improved range, but this finding rests on a small sample and gender imbalance.
Key findings
01The primary outcomes of dorsiflexion angle and plantar flexor strength showed no significant difference between the elastic tape and control groups.
02In participants with a straight-leg raise angle under 70 degrees, dorsiflexion angle significantly improved after tape application compared to before.
03The subgroup with improved dorsiflexion consisted entirely of males, while the subgroup without improvement consisted entirely of females.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was not double-blinded, which could bias results. Participants were healthy students, so findings may not apply to patients or athletes. The subgroup showing benefit contained only males, while the subgroup showing no benefit contained only females, creating a severe gender bias that confounds the results. The sample size was small.
Declared interests
This research received no external funding, and the authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not apply the subgroup finding to all patients with tight hamstrings. The participants who improved were all male, and the control group in that subgroup was also all male, meaning gender differences rather than the tape itself could explain the result.