Effects Of Low-Dye Taping On Plantar Fascia Strain And Kinematics In Individuals With Plantar Fasciitis

Abstract

Plantar fasciitis is thought to be caused by excessive strain of the plantar fascia, which may occur due to altered foot kinematics displayed by individuals with plantar fasciitis. The low-Dye taping method has been found to be effective at reducing pain and increasing function in individuals with plantar fasciitis, although the exact mechanisms for these changes are unclear. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of low-Dye taping on plantar fascia strain and foot kinematics in individuals with plantar fasciitis. METHODS: Fifteen adults with plantar fasciitis completed the repeated measures study. Each participant walked barefoot at a self-selected speed while untaped and while their pathological foot was taped with the low-Dye taping method. A six-segment musculoskeletal model of the foot was used to provide estimates of plantar fascia and other foot ligament strains. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was used to compare plantar fascia strain, and post hoc SPM analyses of several foot joint kinematics were conducted to explain the differences in plantar fascia strain. Finally, strains of several foot ligaments were investigated using SPM procedures. RESULTS: Significantly greater plantar fascia strain was found during the untaped condition between 67-79% of stance phase (p = 0.001), which does not include the time in which peak strain occurred. The low-Dye taping method also reduced dorsiflexion of the talonavicular joint from 52-86% of stance phase (p < 0.001), which represents a reduction in arch collapse. In addition, significant strain reductions in the taped condition were noted in the superior and inferior slips of the spring ligament from 14-87% (p < 0.001) and 16-87% (p < 0.001) of stance phase, respectively, as well as in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th slips of the long plantar ligament from 56-86% (p < 0.001), 59-86% (p < 0.001), and 68-81% (p < 0.001) of stance phase, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that if low-Dye taping is effective for individuals with plantar fasciitis, it is not by reducing peak plantar fascia strain, but instead by reducing cumulative strain across the entire stance phase. This reduction in strain during stance phase occurs due to the reduction in arch collapse. Furthermore, several other ligaments are significantly affected by the low-Dye taping method.