Introduction: High forces are generated in the finger flexors while climbing on small holds. They apply stress to the finger pulleys, which are often injured. Climbers often use taping to protect their pulleys from injuries. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the impact of taping on pulley load and the effect of this method for injury prevention and rehabilitation. Methods: MEDLINE, CINAHL and Science Direct databases were searched. Results: Four studies evaluating the impact of different taping techniques on pulley load were included in the systematic review. Circular taping is minimally effective in relieving force action on the pulley system and is ineffective in preventing pulley injuries. The H-taping method leads to a significant decrease of the tendon–bone distance in the injured finger, which has positive effects for the prevention of tendonitis in the injured finger because of less friction over the edges of the remaining pulleys. Conclusion: We do not recommend using taping as a prophylactic method. We recommend using H-taping in the late phase of pulley injury rehabilitation. There is a need for additional randomized controlled trials.
|
