Author(s): HSUAN-TSEN, Y., WANG, C.K., LIAO, C.J., HE, C.S., Institution: NATIONAL CHUNG CHENG UNIVERSITY, Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 1577

INTRODUCTION:
Volleyball is a high-intensity and high-frequency upper limb sport, repeatedly serving, spiking, and blocking actions, which easily lead to shoulder fatigue and decreased muscle strength, thereby affecting performance and increase the risk of injury (1,2). Taping is commonly used for sports protection and performance maintenance, with kinesio tape and dynamic tape being the most common (3,4). However, comparisons of the effects of different tapes on shoulder strength after fatigue in female players are still limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effects of three tape conditions (dynamic tape、kinesio tape、no-tape) on the shoulder strength of female volleyball players after fatigue.
METHODS:
Fourteen healthy female volleyball players (aged 18–26 years) were recruited. A counterbalanced design was employed, with three taping interventions administered in randomized order and separated by a 7-day washout period. Participants completed assessments at three time points: pre-taping (T0), post-taping (T1), and post-fatigue (T2). Isokinetic strength testing consisted of five maximal repetitions of shoulder internal and external rotation at an angular velocity of 60°/s. Fatigue was induced through repeated unilateral overhead throws of a 3-kg medicine ball (6 sets of 10 repetitions) to simulate match-related shoulder loading. Data were analyzed using a two way repeated measures ANOVA to examine the interaction between taping condition and time, with the significance level set at α = 0.05.
RESULTS:
Significant interaction effects were observed for all isokinetic strength variables (p < 0.05). At both T1 and T2, peak torque and average power of shoulder internal and external rotation were significantly greater in the dynamic taping condition compared with the no-taping condition. For shoulder internal rotation, peak torque at T2 was significantly higher in the dynamic taping condition than in the kinesio taping condition. In the kinesio taping condition, peak torque of shoulder external rotation at T2 was significantly greater than that in the no-taping condition, whereas average power at T1 was significantly higher than that observed in the no-taping condition.
CONCLUSION:
The findings of this study indicate that dynamic tape is more effective than kinesio tape and no-tape in enhancing and preserving shoulder strength following fatigue in female volleyball players. Dynamic tape not only produced immediate improvements in peak torque and average power after application, but also attenuated fatigue-induced declines in performance. These effects may be attributed to the superior mechanical elasticity and supportive properties of dynamic tape, which may assist in maintaining dynamic shoulder stability under fatigued conditions. Therefore, dynamic tape may be considered a practical strategy for mitigating fatigue-related reductions in shoulder performance during high-intensity training and competition.