Kinesiology Taping for Plantar Fasciitis and Foot Pain

Kinesiology tape (KT tape) is sometimes used to treat plantar fasciitis. When placed lengthwise across the bottom of the foot, this stretchy tape can help reduce pain and support your arch.

This article discusses the use of kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis, its effectiveness, and how to apply it.

What Does Kinesiology Tape Do?

Kinesiology tape is one treatment 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

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation or irritation of the plantar fascia. This is the thick band of tissue that runs from your heel to your toes and provides shape and stability to your foot's arch. Taping can help support the plantar fascia and reduce stress on this part of your foot. 

Some people with specific medical conditions should not use kinesiology tape. This is why it's important to first speak to your physical therapist before applying kinesiology tape to your foot. Your physical therapist can help determine if your specific condition is likely to benefit from using kinesiology tape and make sure you're applying it properly.

How to Apply Kinesiology Tape to Your Foot

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

Here is how you use kinesiology tape for plantar fasciitis:

1. Position your foot out in front of you and gently flex your foot and toes up towards your knee.
2. Apply a lift strip with 75% to 100% stretch to the bottom of your foot.
3. Secure the ends of the lift strips with no tension on the upper side of your foot.
4. 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 it can get wet. If it starts to peel away, simply remove it.

Your physical therapist may recommend using kinesiology tape on other muscles that surround your foot and ankle. This can 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?

Kinesiology taping is a relatively new treatment used in physical therapy and sports medicine. As such, its effects have not been fully evaluated. Some early studies show that it can help.

Other studies, however, 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.

Summary

Kinesiology tape is applied to the bottom of the foot to help support your arch and relieve pain from plantar fasciitis. This treatment is usually done as a part of physical therapy, but you can also apply it at home.

Using KT tape for foot pain is relatively new, so its effectiveness has yet to be evaluated. If you do decide to try KT tape, make sure you discuss it with your physical therapist so you can be sure it's applied correctly and is the right treatment for your condition.

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.