Effects of Kinesiotape versus Low-Dye Tape on Pain and Comfort Measures in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Bandages are commonly used to relieve pain in patients with plantar fasciitis. The goal was to compare the effects of using kinesiotape versus low-dye tape in the acute phase of plantar fasciitis on pain and comfort measures. Methods: Forty individuals with plantar fasciitis were allocated to the kinesiotape or low-dye tape interventions. The patients were assessed at baseline and every 24 h until the fifth day. The primary measure was a visual analog scale of pain. The other measures were comfort, mobility, durability, personal hygiene, sweating, and allergies. The effects were compared with an ANOVA test, 95% CI. Results: Kinesiotape was more effective in reducing pain; the greater effect occurred during the first day, with a between-group difference of 2.0 (95% CI: 1.8 to 2.2). The pain differences between the treatments progressively reduced each day from the second day. Kinesiotape offered significantly higher performance than low-dye tape in mobility, comfort, and comfort in hygiene, sweating, and durability, with a large effect size d > 0.8. Conclusions: Kinesiotape could be more effective than low-dye tape in relieving pain in patients with plantar fasciitis, with a significant clinical impact on the first day of treatment. Kinesiotape can also provide higher performance in terms of comfort.

Posterior Tibial Artery Blood Flow Velocity Is Increased in Patients with Plantar Heel Pain

“…The interventions for the PHP group included selected conservative therapies that have been shown to be effective for PHP in previous reports. Specifically, physiotherapy consisted of stretching the plantar fascia [ 14 ], training the plantar intrinsic muscles [ 15 , 16 ], strength training the plantar flexor ankle musculature [ 17 , 18 ], taping [ 19 , 20 ], and ultrasound therapy [ 21 ]. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy was also administered to patients who desired it.…”