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Effectiveness of Low-Dye Taping for the Short-term Management of Plantar Fasciitis

Karl B. Landorf, DipAppSc(Pod), GradDipEd, PhD ^*, Joel A. Radford, BAppSc(Pod)Hons ^*, Anne-Maree Keenan, BAppSc(Pod), MAppSc  and Anthony C. Redmond, DPodM, MSc, PhD 

^* School of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Penrith South DC, New South Wales, Australia. Dr. Landorf is now with the Podiatry Department, School of Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Academic Unit of Musculoskeletal Disease, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, England.

Corresponding author: Karl B. Landorf, DipAppSc(Pod), GradDipEd, PhD, Podiatry Department, School of Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086, Australia.

Abstract

Low-Dye taping is often used as a short-term treatment for plantar fasciitis. We evaluated the short-term effectiveness of low-Dye taping in relieving pain associated with plantar fasciitis. In this comparative study conducted at a university-based clinic, 65 participants with plantar fasciitis who received low-Dye taping for 3 to 5 days were compared with 40 participants who did not receive taping. Pain before and after treatment was measured using a visual analog pain scale. Analysis of the data was by the intention-to-treat principle, and a linear regression approach to analysis of covariance was used to compare effects. The visual analog pain scale score improved by a mean of 20 mm (from 44 to 24 mm) in the taping group and worsened by a mean of 6 mm (from 51 to 57 mm) in the control group. The analysis of covariance–adjusted difference in therapeutic effect favored the taping group by 31.7 mm (95% confidence interval, 23.6–39.9 mm) and was statistically significant (t = 7.71). In the short term, low-Dye taping significantly reduces the pain associated with plantar fasciitis. These findings are the first quantitative results to demonstrate the significant therapeutic effect of this treatment modality in relieving the symptoms associated with plantar fasciitis. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 95(6): 525–530, 2005)