Arch tapings have been used by athletic trainers to support the arch in patients with increased pronation and/or increased navicular drop. The arch taping assists in increasing the navicular height, decreasing the amount of navicular drop, and altering foot biomechanics of an individual during weight bearing activity. Several studies have observed the initial effects of taping interventions, but few have researched clinically relevant effectiveness in these taping interventions. The objective of this study is three-fold: 1. Determine the presence of known modifiable risk factors in an active adult population; 2. Determine the immediate effectiveness of a longitudinal tear-drop arch tape on navicular drop, plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, and center of pressure; 3. Determine the effectiveness of the longitudinal tear-drop arch taping during a treadmill performance test.
