Mechanical Changes in Foot and Function According to Types of Elastic Tapes: Focusing on Individuals with Flexible Flatfoot

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of three types of sports tapes (Kinesio tape, Dynamic tape, and Mechano tape) on mechanical support, static/dynamic foot contact area, foot pressure, and static/dynamic balance in individuals with flexible flatfoot. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Nineteen participants diagnosed with flexible flatfoot were selected based on the navicular drop test. The subjects were then randomly assigned to receive one of the three taping interventions: Kinesio tape, Dynamic tape, or Mechano tape. The static and dynamic foot contact areas, foot pressure, and balance abilities were measured and compared across the three taping conditions. Results: No significant differences were observed in static and dynamic foot contact area or foot pressure between the three taping conditions. In terms of static balance, Dynamic and Mechano taping conditions showed significantly greater improvement compared to Kinesio taping (P<0.05), though no significant difference was found between Dynamic and Mechano taping. For dynamic balance, both Dynamic and Mechano taping resulted in greater improvements than Kinesio taping (P<0.05), with no significant difference between the Dynamic and Mechano tape conditions. Conclusions: The findings suggest that taping interventions using different types of elastic tapes can be beneficial for individuals with flexible flatfoot. However, Dynamic and Mechano tapes showed greater effects on balance compared to Kinesio tape.