The Effect of Ankle Floss Band on Football Players

Primary outcomes

1. Weight Bearing Lunge Test

   Time frame: 3 days

   The ankle dorsiflexion range of motion was evaluated. Three tests were conducted for each participant, and the best score was recorded. Each assessment was performed before and after taping.

2. Static Balance Assesment

   Time frame: 3 days

   using the 'Accelerometer' application developed with Apple iPhone 14 and Dream Arc App Inventor, the static balance of football players was measured. Participants were instructed to stand on one leg for 30 seconds. Three trials were conducted, and the best score was recorded. The application recorded acceleration data in three axes (x, y, z) at a sampling rate of 20 Hz during the 30-second duration. Higher acceleration values indicated poorer balance.

3. Dynamic Balance Test

   Time frame: 3 days

   The Y balance test is a dynamic assessment widely used among athletes, requiring strength, flexibility, and proprioception, with good reliability. For the test, three equal-length strips of tape are placed on the floor to form a Y shape with angles of 90°, 135°, and 135° between them. The foot to be tested is placed at the intersection of the tapes, and the athlete is instructed to reach as far as possible in three different directions (anterior, posterolateral, posteromedial) while maintaining balance with the other foot. Football players attempted to reach maximum distance in each of these three directions, and these distances were recorded. The highest score from three successful reaches in each direction was normalized relative to leg length.Each assessment was performed before and after taping.

4. Proprioseptive Evaluation

   Time frame: 3 days.

   When evaluating joint position sense, the football player was seated on a chair with their feet flat on the ground and eyes closed. Using a smartphone goniometer application, the range of motion of both ankles was measured. The tested ankle was passively moved into a dorsiflexion position of 10 degrees and then returned to its original position. The player was asked to actively replicate the same position with their foot, and the deviation from the target 10 degrees was recorded. This process was repeated three times, and the average deviation was calculated.Each assessment was performed before and after taping

5. Triple Hop Test

   Time frame: 3 days

   This is a commonly used test for evaluating the functional abilities of the ankle and knee joints. The test measures the participant's balance, performance, and joint stability. A 6-meter scale is prepared, and the football player is instructed to stand on the assessed foot with arms by the sides and knees bent at a 45-degree angle in the starting position. The player is asked to perform three maximal forward jumps and land on the same line with the foot used for jumping. The distance between the heel and the starting point is measured, and the longest of two attempts is recorded.Each assessment was performed before and after taping