Immediate Clinical and Biomechanical Effects of Low-dye Taping in Patients with Plantar Heel Pain

Plantar heel pain is common musculoskeletal disorder of the foot related to sports activity. Treatment of the plantar heel pain is usually conservative including low-dye (LD) taping. We evaluated the immediate clinical and biomechanical effect of LD taping. 19 patients who had plantar heel pain with fat pad tenderness or tenderness on plantar fascia insertion area participated in this study. We assessed plantar pressure change with foot pressure analysis system, fat pad depth changes with ultrasonography, pain improvement with visual analogue scale before and after LD taping. Patient treated with LD taping showed the decrease in maximum peak pressure and pressure time integral, and there was not a significant difference between pre and post maximal velocity, average velocity, distance of center of pressure. Fat pad depth increase (mean 1.67 mm, p 0.05) and pain improvement (mean 1.91 on visual analog scale, p 0.05). LD taping restrict midtarsal joint, correct hindfoot pronation, and provide fat pad depth increase and pain improvement, immediately.