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. If you have arch problems, are obese, are a long-distance runner, have tight Achilles tendons, or wear shoes with poor arch support, you may be putting yourself at risk of developing this painful condition.
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.
One of the reasons Kinesio Tape has become so popular with athletes is because it can often provide enough relief of pain and inflammation to allow an athlete to continue training and competing while recovering from a foot injury such as plantar fasciitis. The thin, stretchy tape provides comfortable support without restricting range of motion. When applied to the skin over an injury, it interacts with both the nervous system to provide rapid pain relief and the lymphatic system to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Kinesio recently released a set of 6 Precut Kinesio Tape applications for different body parts that make Kinesio Taping quick and easy. The Kinesio Precut Foot Application includes two pink fan strips which are applied along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toe joint, and one blue “I” strip to apply across the arch. Markings on each strip allow it to be customized for different body sizes.
Application Instructions – Kinesio Precut Foot Tape
Before applying the Kinesio Precut Foot Tape, make sure the area is clean and dry so the adhesive can work properly. Apply Kinesiotape at least 30 minutes before any physical activity.The patient should flex their foot to put the foot muscles in a position of maximum stretch.
 | Begin with the pink fan strip (note: this package contains enough materials for 2 applications). If necessary, use the cutting guides to trim to size. Then, take the blue "I" strip and cut in half where the tape backing indicates "tear paper here". Cutting the blue strip in half creates an additional "I" strip for the second application. |
 | Take one pink fan-strip and tear backing where indicated. Remove backing from base end of the tape and apply to the back of the heel. With the foot in a flexed position (toes up), remove the backing from the tails one at a time and apply tape along the bottom of the foot, ending just below the toe joint. Make sure the tails are spread evenly across the bottom of the foot. |
 | Now take one blue I-strip and tear backing approximately 1-inch from the end. Apply the base of the tape on the outside of the foot near the center of the outside arch. Remove the backing and apply the tape across the arch with moderate tension and then release the tension as you're applying towards the top of the foot. Take care to apply the end of the tape with no stretch to avoid irritation. |
Printable Instructions
Most KinesioTape applications can remain in place for 3 to 5 days, providing round the clock support and pain relief.
Watch for my next post, which will present the video application instructions for the Precut Kinesio Tape Foot Support.
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