ankle inversion sprain often occurs during sports - related activity , landing on an inverted 
 and plantar flexed foot after jumping , and running on uneven surfaces1 .
it involves pain , 
 lateral ligamentous injury , excessive ankle inversion , swelling , and limitations in ankle 
 range of motion3 .
some patients with ankle 
 inversion sprain experience continuous pain and ankle instability at long - term 
 follow - up4
. additionally , the reinjury 
 rate of ankle inversion sprain may be as high as 80%5 .
therefore , utilizing the most effective intervention for ankle 
 inversion sprain is important . here ,
we report the effects of repeated application of ankle eversion taping ( aet ) using 
 kinesiology tape in a patient with ankle inversion sprain .
a 21  year - old woman complained of lateral left ankle pain after experiencing a grade 2 
 ankle inversion sprain during walking one week prior to treatment . she had been diagnosed 
 with left ankle inversion sprain 2  years prior , for which she had received manual physical 
 therapy for 3 weeks .
she 
 complained of painful ankle inversion and instability when descending stairs , ascending an 
 oblique surface , and standing on unstable ground and severe pain during running , jumping , 
 and squatting .
prior to 
 study participation , she provided a written informed consent document that was approved by 
 the ethics committee of dong - eui university .
this study was conducted in accordance with the 
 ethical standards of the declaration of helsinki .
aet using kinesiology tape ( bb tape , wetape inc , seoul , republic of korea ) was applied 
 daily to the left ankle for 4 weeks ( average , 15  h / day ) .
first , an i - shaped tape was applied 
 from the talus to the calcaneus in a mild dorsiflexion position for posterior talar glide 
 ( fig .
second , an i - shaped tape was applied from 5  cm above the lateral malleolus , over 
 the medial calcaneus , to the inside of the instep of the foot in an eversion position to 
 prevent painful inversion ( fig .
c ) . third , an 
 i - shaped tape was applied using the same method as that used for the second tape to 
 reinforce prevention of painful inversion and allow ankle eversion ( fig .
e ) . fourth , an i - shaped tape was applied using the same 
 method as that used for the first tape to reinforce posterior talar glide and provide ankle 
 support ( fig .
we applied aet to the sprained 
 left ankle daily after removal of the aet applied the previous day , even though the patient 
 did not complain of itchiness .
additionally , the start and end points of the tape 
 ( approximately 23  cm ) were applied without stretching to prevent skin problems6 .
in the initial assessment , the numeric pain rating scale ( nprs ) score ( 0 , no pain , and 10 , 
 the worst pain ) of the lateral ankle at rest was 4 and that on application of 3  kg pressure 
 on the most tender area of the lateral ankle using an algometer ( pain test model fpk ; wagner 
 instruments , greenwich , ct , usa ) was 7 .
her left ankle score on the cumberland ankle 
 instability tool ( cait ) questionnaire ( 9 items scored on a 30-point scale for measurement of 
 functional ankle instability7 ) was 2/30 . 
 the y - balance test was used to assess functional dynamic balance with ankle instability8 .
the maximal reach distances of the opposite 
 leg in 3 directions ( anterior , posteromedial , and posterolateral ) while in a sprained left 
 leg stance were 35  cm , 55  cm , and 54  cm , respectively .
the lunge test ( distance from the 
 wall to the big toe in ankle dorsiflexion without lifting the heel and with knee flexion ) 
 was used to assess ankle flexibility9 .
following aet application for 4 weeks , the nprs score for the lateral ankle at rest 
 decreased from 4 to 0 and that after application of 3  kg pressure to the most tender lateral 
 ankle area using an algometer decreased from 6 to 1 ; the cait score increased from 2/30 to 
 29/30 .
the reach distances in the anterior , posteromedial , and posterolateral directions 
 increased from 35  cm to 46  cm , from 55  cm to 69  cm , and from 54  cm to 63  cm , respectively . 

she no longer experienced ankle pain 
 and instability when descending stairs , ascending an oblique surface , standing on unstable 
 ground , or when jumping , running , or squatting .
this case study showed that repeated aet application for 4 weeks reduced lateral ankle pain 
 and improved ankle flexibility and functional dynamic balance .
painful plantar flexion and 
 inversion of the sprained ankle were prevented through a more everted ankle with aet 
 application .
in addition , the sprained ankle was protected from reinjury through the 
 mechanical effects of aet application .
previous studies have reported that kinesiology tape 
 application to an ankle with instability10 and eversion sprain11 reduced pain and improved stability . therefore , healing of ankle 
 inversion sprain was possible .
activation of proprioceptors through kinesiology tape application 
 may increase the ankle joint position sense .
therefore , maintaining the neutral ankle 
 position using repeated aet application may increase ankle stability , the reach distances in 
 the y - balance and lunge tests , and the cait score .
future studies on the clinical effects of 
 aet in a larger number of patients with ankle inversion sprain are required .
 [ purpose ] the aim of this study was to report the effects of ankle eversion taping using 
 kinesiology tape on ankle inversion sprain . [ subject ] the subject was a 21-year - old woman 
 with grade 2 ankle inversion sprain . 
 [ methods ] ankle eversion taping was applied to the 
 sprained left ankle using kinesiology tape for 4 weeks ( average , 15  h / day ) . 
 [ results ] 
 ankle instability and pain were reduced , and functional dynamic balance was improved after 
 ankle eversion taping for 4 weeks . the cumberland ankle instability tool score and reach 
 distances in the y - balance and lunge tests were increased . 
 [ conclusion ] repeated ankle 
 eversion taping may be an effective treatment intervention for ankle inversion sprain . 
INTRODUCTION
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION