This study aimed to determine the effects of walking with talus-stabilizing taping (TST) on ankle dorsiflexion (DF) and heel-off time in the stance phase of gait and ankle DF passive range of motion (PROM). There were ten participants in the study. Sixteen ankles with limited ankle DF PROM were tested. Ankle DF PROM was measured using a goniometer, and maximum ankle DF before heel-off and time to heel-off in the stance phase of gait were measured using a 3D motion analysis system prior to and following walking with TST. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test. Ankle maximum DF before heel-off (p=0.001), time to heel-off during the stance phase of gait (p=0.005), and ankle DF PROM (p<0.001) were significantly higher after the intervention compared with before the intervention.
The study found walking with TST is an effective self-exercise for improving ankle kinematics during gait and increasing ankle DF PROM in people with compromised ankle DF PROM.