Immediate effects of Kinesio Taping ® on neuromuscular performance of quadriceps and balance in individuals submitted to Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Objective: Investigate the immediate effects of Kinesio Taping (KT) on neuromuscular performance of femoral quadriceps and balance in individuals submitted to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Design: This is a randomized clinical trial. Methods: Forty-seven male participants, between 12 and 17 weeks after ACL reconstruction, underwent initial assessment consisting of postural balance analysis using baropodometry, followed by eccentric and concentric isokinetic assessment at 60o/s of knee extensors, concomitant to electromyographic signals captured from the vastus lateralus muscle. They were then randomly allocated to one of the following groups: Control (CG), Placebo (PG) and Kinesio Taping (KTG). KTG participants were submitted to KT on the femoral quadriceps of the affected limb, while PG subjects used the same procedure without the tension proposed by the method. The CG remained at rest for ten minutes. All participants were reassessed following the same procedure as the initial evaluation. The following variables were analyzed: peak torque/body weight and muscle potential using dynamometry; amplitude of antero-posterior and latero-lateral displacement from the center of pressure using baropodometry; and amplitude of muscle activation (Root Mean Square RMS) applying surface electromyography. Results: None of the variables analyzed showed significant intergroup or intragroup differences. Conclusion: KT does not alter the neuromuscular performance of femoral quadriceps or balance of subjects submitted to ACL reconstruction, for any of the variables analyzed.