Effects of kinesiotaping in reducing pain in the heel in patients with plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot, called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are pain, aching, burning and/or stiffness along the bottom of the heel and foot. The pain is usually worse in the morning or after standing or sitting for long periods, and is aggravated by climbing stairs or hills and other intense activity. For athletes and people with active lifestyles, the pain of plantar fasciitis can become chronic and debilitating. The diagnosis is made based on the physical examination. During the exam, should be checked areas of tenderness in the foot. With the localization of pain can help to determine its cause. Usually no tests are necessary. The doctor might suggest an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make sure that pain isn't being caused by another problem, such as a stress fracture or a pinched nerve. Sometimes an X-ray shows a spur of bone projecting forward from the heel bone. These bone spurs are often blamed for heel pain, but many people who have bone spurs on their heels have no heel pain. Most people who have plantar fasciitis recover with conservative treatments, including resting, pain relievers, physical therapy, icing the painful area, stretching and strengthening exercises, to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles, which stabilize the ankle and heel. The therapists might recommend to wear a night splint that stretches the calf and the arch of the foot. This holds the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon in a lengthened position overnight and facilitates stretching. Occasionaly reports are found of patients benefitting from Kinesiotape for their plantar fasciitis. Treatment should usually be maintained for at least 4 weeks before any result can be expected. One of the problems with fasciitis is the constant tension on the plantar fascia, and applying tape can assist in relieving this tension by limiting the extent how far the fascia can stretch, thus preventing over pronation. Goal of the treatment is to apply Kinesiotape in such a way that the fascia cannot over-stretch, thus preventing further damage to the fascia and it's attachment to the heel. Our experience shows that Kinesiotaping can be a very effective method to treat the plantar fasciitis pain.. Also it is a relatively cost-effective way of treating fasciitis.It can even be used to prevent plantar fasciitis when severe strain is expected, like in sports, or mountain walking