RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Kinesiotape (KT) is a technique commonly used in sports practice. It may be beneficial in enhancing muscle function by additional cutaneous afferent stimulation. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of KT on countermovement jump (CMJ) and 20-m sprints (sp) immediately and 24 h after its application on the quadriceps and gluteus maximus. METHODS: 37 male soccer players (19.7 ± 0.9 years old) were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: experimental group: KT activation (KTact), placebo group: sham tape (KTst), and control group (CG). Participants performed a 30-min preliminary warm-up, after which they conducted CMJ and 20-m sp tests. These tests were repeated later (with KT application or not) and after 24 h. RESULTS: Intergroup results found no significant differences either post-test (CMJ, p = 0.115; sp, p = 0.307) or after 24 h (p = 0.053). Intragroup results showed no significant results for CMJ, although 20-m sp seemed to display significant differences in the (KTst) (p = 0.002, post-hoc: 0.015 in pre_sp vs post_sp) and the (KTact) (0.021, in post-hoc: 0.007 in pre_sp vs post_sp), with a moderate effect in pre_sp vs post_sp (0.66) in the (KTact) after KT was applied. CONCLUSION: KT application on the gluteus maximus and quadriceps in young soccer players increases the sprint execution time immediately and 24 h after application, even that the sprint execution time had not been grater that one tenth of the second (0.08 s). It also has no effect on CMJ.