Lower limb injuries make up a large percentage of musculoskeletal injuries in squash players. A common lower limb musculoskeletal injury that occurs on court is an ankle roll. Rolling the ankle effects the ligaments of the ankle and can lead to instability. A common method for stabilising the ankle is to either tape the ankle or to wear an ankle guard; this is so the range of motion about the ankle is restricted and thus, more stable. The following paper published in 1984 looked to compare the effects of two elastic ankle guards and two types of adhesive tapes, and to measure the ranges of motion of the ankle before, during and after a squash match.
Method – How the authors conducted the test.
The study consisted of 12 male subjects whom were all club level squash players.
Subjects age ranged from 18 to 22 years old, all were right foot dominant and did not have a history of ankle injury.
Subjects played two squash matches lasting one hour wearing the ankle guard on the right foot and tape on the left foot.
The strapping technique used was a combination of basket weave, stirrup and heal lock.
Measurements of the ankle range of motion were done unsupported before exercise, supported before exercise, after 10 minutes of exercise, after 1 hour of exercise and unsupported after exercise.
The movements measured were plantar-flexion, dorsiflexion, plantar-flexed inversion, plantar-flexed eversion, neutral-inversion and neutral-eversion.
The following were used as supports: Ace ankle support, Futuro ankle brace, zinc oxide plaster and Elastoplast adhesive bandage.
Results - what did the authors find.
The authors found that no significant support was provided by either ankle guard/brace for any motion that was measured before, during and after exercise.
On the contrary, both exercise tapes provided significant support for all motions except dorsiflexion, in which only the zinc oxide tape provided significant restrictions. When comparing the two tapes, the zinc oxide taped was shown to be the more restrictive tape. After 10 minutes of gameplay both tapes restricted motion considerably less. The Elastoplast tape only significantly reducing the plantar-flexion and neutral inversion motion, whilst the zinc oxide tape significantly restricted plantar-flexion, plantar-flexed eversion, plantar-flexed inversion, neutral eversion and neutral inversion. After 1 hour of exercise, neither tape provided significant restrictions for any motions measured; it is important to note that there was some residual effects and restrictions could be seen, though not at a statistically significant level. Overall, tape restricted the ankles motion from 20-40% prior to exercise and about 10-20% following 1 hour of play. The motion of dorsiflexion was restricted the least by strapping tape, and this was attributed to the taping method.
When comparing unsupported motion before and after exercise, additional motion was noted, approximately a 6% increase. This is thought to be due to “warming up”. The additional motion of the unsupported joint before and after was not significant.
Based upon the above findings, the authors concluded the following:
Elastic ankle guards/braces provide no significant restriction of motion.
Strapping tape offers significant restriction of joint motion up until 10 minutes, thereafter the tape continues to loosen.
Residual restriction of tape after 1 hour of exercise is not statistically significant.
Zinc oxide tape (nonelastic) provided the greatest amount of restriction.
A slight increase in joint mobility is found after warming up.
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Yours Truly,
Dominic Benacquista - Global Squash Coach
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Reference:
Myburgh, K. H., Vaughan, C. L., & Isaacs, S. K. (1984). The effects of ankle guards and taping on joint motion before, during, and after a squash match. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 12(6), 441-446.