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Home / How to Use Kinesiology Tape for Plantar Fasciitis

How to Use Kinesiology Tape for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition involving a ligament called the plantar fascia. Running from your heel to your toes, this ligament supports the arch of your foot.

Walking, running, jumping, and even standing can put pressure on your plantar fascia. Enough strain can lead to a tear or other damage, triggering your body's inflammatory response. This results in plantar fasciitis, which causes heel pain and stiffness in the bottom of your foot.

There are many ways to manage plantar fasciitis, including taping. Plantar fasciitis taping, sometimes called low-Dye taping, involves wearing special tape around your foot and ankle. It helps stabilize your plantar fascia and provide support for the arch of your foot.

Read on to learn more about how to tape your foot to relieve plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis results from too much strain on your plantar fascia. Taping can reduce the amount of stretching and moving the ligament does when you're on your feet. This not only gives your plantar fascia a chance to heal, but it also helps prevent further damage.

A 2015 review of eight existing studies concluded that taping provides short-term pain relief for people with plantar fasciitis. The review found no conclusive evidence about the long-term effects of taping on plantar fasciitis.

A separate 2015 study compared taping to 15 minutes of physiotherapy. The physiotherapy involved 15 minutes of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and five minutes of low-level infrared energy treatment. People who did both taping and physiotherapy had lower pain levels than those who just did physiotherapy.

Plantar fasciitis taping is usually done with zinc oxide tape. This is a type of cotton athletic tape that's more rigid than others. As a result, it's better at stabilizing joints and limiting movement.

Zinc oxide tape still offers a little stretch, so you'll be able to apply it snugly around your foot. It's also durable, water-resistant, and gentle on your skin.

What about kinesiology tape?

Some people prefer to use kinesiology tape. Unlike standard athletic tape, kinesiology tape works by gently pulling at your skin. This helps increase blood flow in the area and reduce swelling. It may even help shorten your recovery time.

It does, however, require a bit of skill to apply properly. It's best to see a physical therapist for a few sessions if you're interested in using the tape. They can show you how to apply it in the most effective way.

Before taping your feet, make sure they're clean and dry.

Once you're ready, follow these steps:

  1. Wrap the tape around the ball of your foot, then cut the tape.
  2. Apply a strip of tape around your heel, connecting each end of the strip to the tape at the ball of your foot.
  3. Apply a second strip around the back of your heel. This time, pull each of the ends across the sole of your foot. Anchor each end to the ball of your foot. You should now have an X shape on the sole of your foot. Repeat this step two more times for maximum support.
  4. Cut several pieces of tape to match the width of your foot. Place them horizontally across the sole of your foot so that the X is covered and no skin, except near your toes, is visible.
  5. Press the tape down to make sure it's smooth around your foot.
  6. Remove the tape every night before bed.

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Taping your foot can help to reduce plantar fasciitis and give your plantar fascia a chance to heal. Keep in mind that it may take a few tries before you get your technique down, so it's a good idea to have extra tape on hand.

How to Use Kinesiology Tape for Plantar Fasciitis

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/plantar-fasciitis-taping