The effects of taping vs. orthotics on reducing plantar fasciitis/plantar heel pain
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Fredrick Gardin
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 10:30 AM
End Date
25-4-2025 11:29 AM
Description
This critically appraised topic investigates the use of taping compared to orthotics on reducing plantar fasciitis related pain in the general active population. Plantar fasciitis (PF), also associated with plantar heel pain (PHP), is a painful musculoskeletal disorder that affects the fascia of the feet and the functionality of the foot/ankle. The search for literature was conducted using the research platform EBSCOhost, databases including; CINAHL Complete, SPORTdiscus, Academic Search Complete, and MEDLINE-PubMed. The keywords used were "plantar fasciitis, plantar heel pain, plantar fasciopathy", "reduce, decrease, minimize, prevent, pain reduction", “orthotics, orthotic, orthosis, orthoses, orthotic device or orthotic devices or orthotic insoles”, "taping, elastic taping, kinesiotape, kinesiotaping, athletic taping, tape, kinesio-taping, kinesio taping, kinesio tape". Search parameters set were: full text, peer-reviewed, and literature published between 2014 and 2024 for relevancy. With the use of SORT taxonomy to evaluate the quality of evidence, the quality of evidence of all literature found was 2. The findings of the studies found expressed a significant decrease in pain intensity with the usage of taping and custom orthotics. Orthotics expressed improvement to functionality, first step pain and reduction of fascial thickness, whereas taping overall showed a decrease in pain intensity. The clinical bottom line is that custom orthotics can have longer term effects on the reduction of pain and functionality than taping, and this is a more viable treatment for Plantar Fasciitis with a strength of recommendation of B. Although due to lack of research and long-term studies, this conclusion is only tentative.
The effects of taping vs. orthotics on reducing plantar fasciitis/plantar heel pain
This critically appraised topic investigates the use of taping compared to orthotics on reducing plantar fasciitis related pain in the general active population. Plantar fasciitis (PF), also associated with plantar heel pain (PHP), is a painful musculoskeletal disorder that affects the fascia of the feet and the functionality of the foot/ankle. The search for literature was conducted using the research platform EBSCOhost, databases including; CINAHL Complete, SPORTdiscus, Academic Search Complete, and MEDLINE-PubMed. The keywords used were "plantar fasciitis, plantar heel pain, plantar fasciopathy", "reduce, decrease, minimize, prevent, pain reduction", “orthotics, orthotic, orthosis, orthoses, orthotic device or orthotic devices or orthotic insoles”, "taping, elastic taping, kinesiotape, kinesiotaping, athletic taping, tape, kinesio-taping, kinesio taping, kinesio tape". Search parameters set were: full text, peer-reviewed, and literature published between 2014 and 2024 for relevancy. With the use of SORT taxonomy to evaluate the quality of evidence, the quality of evidence of all literature found was 2. The findings of the studies found expressed a significant decrease in pain intensity with the usage of taping and custom orthotics. Orthotics expressed improvement to functionality, first step pain and reduction of fascial thickness, whereas taping overall showed a decrease in pain intensity. The clinical bottom line is that custom orthotics can have longer term effects on the reduction of pain and functionality than taping, and this is a more viable treatment for Plantar Fasciitis with a strength of recommendation of B. Although due to lack of research and long-term studies, this conclusion is only tentative.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.