dc.description.abstract | Context: Despite an association between foot structure and the incidence of lower limb
injury in sport, few studies have measured the effects of neutral, pronated and supinated foot
structures during dynamic activity. Furthermore, despite its widespread use as an injury
prevention method, the effects of athletic taping on individuals with pronated and supinated
foot structures are unclear.
Objectives: To explore whether individuals with pronated and supinated foot structures have
poorer lower limb neuromuscular control as measured by postural stability and muscle
reaction time in comparison to those with neutral feet. Additionally, the effects of athletic
taping on individuals with neutral, pronated and supinated foot structures on aspects of lower
limb neuromuscular control are also examined.
Subjects: All subjects used in this thesis were aged from 18 – 30 years and took part in at
least two hours of exercise each week. Subjects were categorised in to groups according to
navicular drop height measures; neutral 5 – 9 mm; pronated ≥ 10 mm; supinated ≤ 4 mm.
Methods: Neuromuscular control was analysed in subjects with neutral, pronated and
supinated feet using dynamic postural stability and muscular reaction time measures. These
measures were then repeated with four athletic taping conditions (arch tape, ankle tape,
proprioceptive tape and no-tape) both before and after a period of exercise.
Results: Individuals with pronated and supinated foot structures were shown to have
reduced postural stability in comparison to those with neutral foot structures during some
dynamic tasks. Pronated and supinated foot structures also resulted in slower muscle
reaction times in comparison to those with neutral feet during a tilt platform perturbation. No
differences were identified between dominant and non-dominant limbs on subjects with
neutral, pronated or supinated foot structures; however the high incidence of foot structure
asymmetry did appear to result in differences between contralateral limbs in both postural
stability and reaction time parameters. Arch and ankle taping resulted in increased
neuromuscular control after application, yet these effects diminished after a period of
exercise.
Conclusions: The results of this thesis provide evidence to suggest that foot structure does
affect lower limb neuromuscular control as measured by postural stability and muscle
reaction time. In addition athletic taping has been shown to affect neuromuscular control on
subjects with neutral, pronated and supinated foot structures both before and after exercise.
These findings may have wide implications in sport where individuals with pronated and
supinated feet may be more susceptible to injury in comparison to those with neutral feet. | en_US |