It was explored whether three different applications of elastic tape on the lower limbs of active, healthy gymnasts influence their vertical jumping performance. 16 gymnasts randomly performed drop jumps, squat jumps, and counter movement jumps on a force platform in four experimental conditions: 1. no tape application, 2. rectus femoris tape application, 3. triceps surae tape application, and 4. sham tape application. Five task-relevant parameters were calculated in order to represent vertical jumping performance in the three vertical jumping tasks: 1) contact time during take-off phase, 2) peak vertical force during take-off phase, 3) flight duration, 4) peak vertical impact force during landing phase, and 5) time to peak vertical impact force during landing phase. A decrease in flight duration during drop jumping, and counter movement jumping appeared when elastic tape was applied. During drop jumping gymnasts` flight duration decreased when elastic tape was applied to the triceps surae muscle. During counter movement jumping gymnasts` flight duration decreased when elastic tape was applied on the rectus femoris muscles. It is concluded that there is no apparent beneficial need for active, healthy gymnasts to apply elastic tape in order to enhance vertical jumping performance.
© Copyright 2015 Science of Gymnastics Journal. Department of Gymnastics, Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana. All rights reserved.