Acute Effects of Stretching, Kinesio Taping, Cold Water Immersion and Foam Rolling on Wrist Strength and Precise Force and Position Control

Static stretching, dynamic stretching, elastic (Kinesio) taping, brief cold water immersion and foam rolling are used daily in sport and rehabilitation to prepare the forearm and hand, but it is not known whether, immediately after use, they change how strongly the wrist can flex and how precisely a person can control the force and the position of the wrist. This study measured all five methods in the same 56 healthy adults on separate weekly visits, immediately before and after each method, in a randomised crossover design. Outcomes included peak isometric wrist-flexion force, normalised error in a force-tracking task, normalised error in a position-tracking task, and active range of motion. The study also quantified learning across visits and the measurement properties of the variables. The trial was registered retrospectively; the reason is given in the detailed description.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy adults aged 20-35 years recruited through a public call * Right-hand dominant (dominant hand = throwing hand) * Written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Left-hand dominance * Current pain in the dominant arm at rest, during exertion or movement * History of injury limiting the function or range of motion of the dominant arm * Diagnosed neuromuscular disorder * Participation in competitive sport * Joint hypermobility on the Beighton scale