ORIGINAL ARTICLE  SPORT INJURIES AND REHABILITATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2019 June;59(6):994-1000

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.18.09125-9

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effects of kinesiology taping on shoulder girdle muscle activity and sports performance during badminton forehand overhead strokes in amateur badminton players with shoulder impingement syndrome

Siu-Ming FONG ¹ ✉, Lee-Kwan NG ¹, Wai-Wing MA ², Hsing-Kuo WANG ^{3, 4}, Young-Hyeon BAE ⁵, Tsz-Ting YAM ¹, Wai-Keung KAM ², Wai-Yee CHUNG ²

¹ School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; ² Department of Health and Physical Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; ³ School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁴ Center of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁵ Rehabilitation Clinical Research Center, Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service, Daegu Hospital, Daegu, South Korea

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the influence of kinesiology taping (KT), various overhead stroke techniques, and their interactions on shoulder girdle muscle activity and on sports performance in badminton players with shoulder impingement syndrome.
METHODS: Twenty-five amateur badminton players with shoulder impingement syndrome participated in the study. Each was exposed to two KT conditions (no taping and taping) while performing four badminton strokes (defensive clear, attacking clear, smash, and drop shot) in a random order. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to evaluate the activity of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and latissimus dorsi muscles. The EMG data are expressed as a percentage of the EMG amplitude recorded during a maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the respective muscles. The shuttlecock speed was also measured via video analysis.
RESULTS: The pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and latissimus dorsi EMG amplitudes were greatest during smashes (P<0.05), followed in general by attacking clearances (P<0.05) and defensive clearances (P<0.05). Drop shots induced the lowest EMG amplitudes in the shoulder girdle muscles (P<0.05). No significant main effect of the KT condition or KT-badminton stroke interaction effects were found (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The use of KT conferred no immediate benefits in improving shoulder girdle muscle activity or sports performance in amateur badminton players with shoulder impingement syndrome. Shoulder girdle muscle activity and sports performance were primarily influenced by the badminton overhead stroke techniques.

KEY WORDS: Applied kinesiology; Athletic tape; Electromyography; Rotator cuff injuries; Athletes