Ankle Kinesio Taping on Balance and Functional Performance in Obese Females.

The Effect of Ankle Kinesio Taping on Balance and Functional Performance in Obese Female Collegiate Students

Obesity is one of the most dangerous factors affecting the joints, which must be prevented due to arthritis and the long-lasting, tiring effects that affect a person's life [1], The most important of these are foot problems due to weight and excess pressure, It is also one of the factors that greatly affects walking movement because it increases the load on joint movement, This increases the risk of musculoskeletal diseases.

It had been reported that obese subjects have a higher prevalence of falls and ambulatory stumbling or a loss of balance than their non-obese counterparts. Excess weight increases the stress within the bones, joints, and soft tissues, resulting in impaired musculoskeletal function. such as abnormal mechanics of the body. These impairments, such as impaired balance, gait, strength, sensory function, and neuromuscular function have been identified as strong risk factors for falls.

Participants that are eligible to participate to the study will be distributed into two groups: Group A will receive ankle kinesiotaping on the dominant leg. While, Group B will receive placebo kinesiotaping on the dominant leg. The treatment duration will be 6 weeks for both groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female students between 18 and 25 years old
• BMI of 30 kg/ m2 or more

Exclusion Criteria:

• Orthopedic or neurosurgery injury past 6 months
• Ankle edema
• Skin allergy to the tape
• Abnormalities of the nervous system
• Any previous history of injury
• Use of medication in the past 3 months
• Regular physical activity at least three times a week