Introduction
PHP, Low-Dye, pain, inflammation
INFLAMMATION, PATHOLOGY, PLANTAR FASCIITIS, DEGENERATION
Plantar heel pain (PHP) is a common pathology that impairs foot function and mobility and is often treated through a variety of conservative interventions. Also known as plantar fasciitis, PHP involves inflammation or degeneration of the plantar fascia which provides support to the foot's medial longitudinal arch (MLA). PHP affects approximately 10% of adultsTraditionally, the Low-Dye (LD) taping method has been considered a gold standard in taping care, with several studies showing short-term pain reductionWhile promising, the effects of at-home taping methods have not been clearly established in the literature. One recent systematic review concluded that there was a modest short-term reduction in reported pain with kinesiology tape that was comparable to low-dye tapingThe overall purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various plantar taping methods on foot mechanics during walking gait. We performed this study on young healthy individuals using controlled taping methodology in order to minimize confounding influences, treating this as an important first step to understanding taping mechanisms prior to increasing ecological validity. We measured and compared foot mechanics, primarily MLA range of motion (RoM) and plantar tissue spreading