The Effect of Ankle Floss Band Application on Football Players:Serial Group Design Study

Background: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ankle dorsiflexion exercises with floss bands on balance, proprioception, and physical performance in football players. Methods: A serial group design was used.The study group(SG)(n=36) received floss band application, followed by a 72-hour rest,while the control group (CG)(n=36) received foam sponge bandage application.Both groups performed identical exercises.Measurements were taken before and after bandaging and exercises.Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DF-ROM) was evaluated using the weight-bearing lunge test,static balance was assessed via a smartphone application,dynamic balance was measured with the Y-balance test,and proprioception was tested with the joint position sense test.Jump performance was evaluated through the triple hop test. Results: Intra-group evaluations showed significant improvements in ankle DF-ROM,static and dynamic balance,proprioception, and jump performance in the SG (p < 0.05),while the CG only showed significant improvement in the Y-balance test (p < 0.05).Comparatively, the SG exhibited significantly higher DF-ROM than the CG (p < 0.05).Effect sizes indicated greater post-test improvements in static balance, dynamic balance, proprioception, and the triple hop test for the SG. Conclusions: Integrating floss band training into football players' training or rehabilitation may enhance athletic performance and motor control. Trial Registration: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee on October 10, 2023, with decision number 2023/01, and was conducted in accordance with the principles set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT06491277).