Kinesiology Taping for Plantar Fasciitis and Foot Pain

• Updated on: 2019-07-30
• Read original article here

If you are feeling foot pain or sharp pains on the underside of your heel, you may be suffering from plantar fasciitis. You may benefit from a course of physical therapy for plantar fasciitis, and one component of your rehab may be using kinesiology tape to treat your foot and heel pain.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation or irritation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs from your heel to your toes and provides shape and stability to your foot's arch. If your plantar fascia becomes irritated or over-stressed, you may experience pain in the bottom of your foot or near your heel. When this occurs, functional activities like walking or running may become limited due to pain. Working with your physical therapist to determine the cause of your plantar fasciitis and to find the right treatments is paramount to successfully managing the condition.

There are many different treatment modalities that your physical therapist may choose to use to help treat your plantar fasciitis. These may include ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or iontophoresis. These treatments focus on managing the pain and inflammatory process that occurs with plantar fasciitis.

Focusing on and treating the biomechanics and underlying causes of your plantar fasciitis is essential to properly treat your condition. Your physical therapist can help determine the cause of your foot pain and can prescribe the proper exercises and stretches to help you decrease your pain and improve your overall functional mobility.
What Does Kinesiology Tape Do for the Foot?

Kinesiology tape is one treatment that your physical therapist may use to help provide relief from your plantar fasciitis. The main goals of using kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis include:

Decrease pain
Take the pressure off of your plantar fascia
Support your foot's natural arch
Facilitate muscles surrounding your foot to provide more support

By using kinesiology tape on your foot, you may be able to provide better support to your arch and decrease the pain and pressure on the plantar fascia. This may help you return to normal walking and running.
Applying Kinesiology Tape to Your Foot

Before applying kinesiology tape to your foot, be sure to speak to your physical therapist to ensure that you are applying the tape properly and that kinesiology tape is safe for you to use. Your physical therapist can help determine if your specific condition with plantar fasciitis is likely to benefit from using kinesiology tape. Some people with specific medical conditions should not use kinesiology tape, so consult your PT or doctor before attempting to treat your plantar fasciitis with taping.

To apply the tape to your foot, you may need a friend to help you, and you should review the different types of tape strips necessary to use kinesiology tape.

Here is how you use kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis:

Position your foot out in front of you and gently flex your foot and toes up towards your knee.
Apply a lift strip with 75 to 100 percent stretch to the bottom of your foot.
Secure the ends of the lift strips with no tension on the upper side of your foot.
Repeat this two to three more times with each strip slightly overlapping the previous one to ensure that your entire medial arch is covered.

Sometimes, an "I" strip can be used on the top of your foot to secure the ends of the lift strips so they do not peel away.

The kinesiology tape should be comfortable and should not be folded on the underside of your foot. You can keep the tape on for two to five days, and the tape can get wet. If it starts to peel away, simply remove the tape.

Be sure to monitor your skin around the kinesiology tape and watch for redness and itching which may indicate irritation or an allergic reaction to the tape. If this occurs, gently remove the kinesiology tape.


Here is how you use kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis:

Position your foot out in front of you and gently flex your foot and toes up towards your knee.
Apply a lift strip with 75 to 100 percent stretch to the bottom of your foot.
Secure the ends of the lift strips with no tension on the upper side of your foot.
Repeat this two to three more times with each strip slightly overlapping the previous one to ensure that your entire medial arch is covered.

Sometimes, an "I" strip can be used on the top of your foot to secure the ends of the lift strips so they do not peel away.

The kinesiology tape should be comfortable and should not be folded on the underside of your foot. You can keep the tape on for two to five days, and the tape can get wet. If it starts to peel away, simply remove the tape.

Be sure to monitor your skin around the kinesiology tape and watch for redness and itching which may indicate irritation or an allergic reaction to the tape. If this occurs, gently remove the kinesiology tape.

Your physical therapist may recommend using kinesiology tape on other muscles that surround your foot and ankle to help inhibit or facilitate those muscles that may be contributing to your plantar fasciitis. Taping to your shin (anterior tibialis), calf, or posterior tibialis muscles may be necessary to fully treat your condition.
Does K-Tape Really Work?

You should keep in mind that kinesiology taping is a relatively new treatment used in physical therapy and sports medicine, and its effects have not been fully evaluated. Some early studies show that it can certainly help, while other studies conclude that kinesiology taping offers little or no added benefit to a physical therapy program. Therefore, it is important to discuss kinesiology taping with your physical therapist to understand the expected outcomes and benefits associated with taping.
A Word From Verywell

If you have foot and heel pain due to plantar fasciitis, you may benefit from kinesiology taping to help treat your condition. The tape, along with the appropriate exercises and advice, can help you decrease or abolish your pain and improve your overall functional mobility.