Research in Sport Medicine and Technology

Introduction: This research aimed to compare two methods of kinesiotaping
and stretching of upper trapezius muscle in treatment of neck pain due to
forward head posture.
Research Methods: Design of this research was semi-experimental. 36
subjects (29 female and 7 men) with forward head posture between 20-40 years
of age with no history of neck pain due to vertebral fracture, disc herniation,
tumors, radicular pain to hands and arthritis rheumatoid were selected for this
research and assigned randomly into 2 groups with 18 subjects. One group
received kinesiotaping treatment and the other group received stretching upper
trapezius muscle treatment. Subjects received 10 treatment sessions 3 times
per week. All subjects completed visual analog scale (VAS) and neck disability
index (NDI) pre and post-tests. The data were analyzed with significant level of
p≤0/05. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15. Statistical paired t- test were used to
analyze effects of kinesiotaping and stretching of upper trapezius muscle in
reduction of neck pain and disability due to forward head posture in each group
and independent t- test were used to compare the kinesiotaping with stretching
of upper trapezius muscle in reduction of neck pain and disability due to forward
head posture.

Results: The results of the present research indicated that there is a significant
reduction in severity of neck pain and disability in both groups (P<0.05), But
there is no significant difference between two groups in severity of neck pain
and disability (P>0.05).
Conclusion: This research showed that either kinesiotaping or stretching of
upper trapezius muscle reduced severity of neck pain and disability due to
trigger points of upper trapezius muscle significantly. Also findings of this
research showed that there is no significant difference between kinesiotaping or
stretching of upper trapezius muscle in reduction of severity of neck pain and
disability. Therefore kinesiotaping can be used in case of vigorous pain either in
patient under other treatment methods or in patient who cannot tolerate
techniques like stretching or ischemic pressure until tolerable pain threshold.

Chronic ankle instability has defined as recurrent ankle sprain, so that 40% of injured athletes after acute injury despite of receiving of adequate rehabilitation, suffering from this instability. The purpose of this study is investigate of postural sway’s risk factors proportion in jump-landing and lateral hopping tasks, in prediction of chronic ankle sprain occurrence. 25 ankle sprain injured athletes and 25 healthy athletes participated in this descriptive-analytic study. Six variables (area of sways, path length and velocity of sways in jump-landing and lateral hoping tasks) were measured as predictor variables, and we used to Logistic Regression test for predicting. The results of study showed that path length and velocity of sways in jump-landing, area and path length of sways in lateral hopping had statistical significant proportion in classification of injured and healthy groups, and the model classified about 77% cases correctly. Therefore, athletes with ankle sprain history have less control of posture than healthy subjects in jump-landing and hopping tasks and have higher risk to getting recurrent ankle sprain. Also subjects with chronic ankle sprain have less control of posture in frontal plan

Specificity of physical exercises is one of the main factors which could affect musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this research is to make a comparison about postural abnormalities of the spine and lower limbs between female taekwondo athletes and non-athletes. Samples of current research were 50 female black-belt taekwondo athletes and 50 non-athletes. To measure kyphosis and lordosis, flexible ruler was used; also to determine the angle of forward head posture and scoliosis, photogrammetry was used, and to determine knee and foot deformities caliper and navicular drop methods were used respectively. To compare two groups, independent t test was used. The results of independent t test showed that amount of lumbar lordosis (47.90°) in taekwondo athletes is significantly higher than that of non-athletes (44.04°). Also amount of scoliosis (3.52°) in taekwondo athletes was significantly higher than that of non-athletes. Also distance of internal condyle )3/26 CM) of taekwondo athletes was significantly higher than that of non-athletes)1/91 CM)(P≤0.05). But no significant difference was observed between two groups in terms of forward head posture, kyphosis, distance of internal malleolus, and navicular drop. Based on the results of this research it is possible to express that taekwondo due to type of its common exercises and could have impact on posture of its athletes.