How Taping for Plantar Fasciitis Helps Manage Symptoms

Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that causes heel pain, making it difficult to walk or even stand.

Can wrapping your feet in athletic tape really help?

This is indeed one popular strategy that can help you stay active with less pain if you have plantar fasciitis. It’s a relatively simple and cost-effective technique you can try on your own after a little guidance from a podiatrist or physical therapist.

Here’s how to safely and effectively self-tape for this common foot problem.

Taping involves wrapping the arch of your foot with elastic athletic tape. The tape supports the arch of your foot and your plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot that connects your heel to your toes and causes the pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

The additional support the tape provides takes some pressure off your heel. It also reduces the tension on the plantar fascia from where your Achilles tendon (which connects your feet to your calves) may pull on it, says Lori Addison Grant, DPM, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and podiatrist at Orlando Health in Florida.

The tape also stabilizes your arch and limits excessive movement throughout your foot, which can prevent pain flare-ups without restricting your ankle’s range of motion, she adds.

That, in turn, alleviates some of the pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis, says the New York City–based podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon Shazia Amar, DPM.

A review of existing research and survey of expert opinions concluded that taping, along with stretching and education about the condition, should be considered the gold standard of treatment for people with plantar fasciitis.

A 2015 review of eight studies found that taping helped relieve plantar fasciitis pain in the short term but concluded more research was needed on the long-term benefits of tape for plantar fasciitis.

Some people use low-dye tape (also called zinc oxide tape), a stiff fabric tape. But research suggests low-dye tape is less effective at reducing plantar fasciitis pain than kinesiology tape, sometimes called KT or K tape, Dr. Grant says.

K tape is thin, elastic, and stretchy, so it can provide support without seriously limiting mobility.

“For years, you could only get K tape through a physical therapist or sports trainer, but now, companies have made it available over the counter,” Grant says. Find K tape at your local pharmacy or online.

A podiatrist or physical therapist can tape your feet or teach you how to do it on your own at home, Dr. Amar says.

Check with a doctor before taping your feet for plantar fasciitis if you have open sores on your feet or diabetes, as you are more likely to get skin infections on your feet or circulation problems in your lower legs, she says.

There are several different taping techniques for plantar fasciitis. Here’s the most common approach, according to Grant:

Begin with clean, dry feet.
Secure the end of your roll of tape to the outside of your ankle bone.
Wrap the tape straight down the outside of your ankle, around the bottom of your heel, and up to the inside of your ankle, pulling it to create tension; it should form a U-shape cupping your heel.
With the same piece of tape, wrap it over the top of your foot and around the outside of your ankle so it forms a U shape cupping your heel.
Cut the tape at the inside of your ankle.
Secure the end of your roll of tape to the fleshy part of the back of your heel, just below the bone; pull the tape straight along the bottom of your foot so it runs along your arch (it will cross over the U-shaped tape on your heel); cut the tape just below your toes on the ball of your foot; remember to pull the tape to create tension.
If your foot is on the larger or wider side, repeat the step above and add a second strip of tape in the same path along the bottom of your foot for additional support.

It’s important to maintain tension on the tape as you wrap it around your foot. “If you just lay the tape on there, it won't be that effective,” Grant says.

Don’t use creams or lotions right before applying the tape — otherwise, it won’t stick as well. If you tend to have sweaty feet, apply a spray-on, pre-tape adhesive to help the tape stick better, suggests Grant.

She notes that it’s okay to leave the tape on for several days. But if you exercise a lot or live in a climate where your feet get sweaty, the tape might not stay on as long.

Amar says to wash and dry your feet after taking off the tape. Wait a day or two before taping them again so your feet have time to breathe.

Foot tape can manage plantar fasciitis pain by supporting the arch of your foot, minimizing excessive movement, and reducing some of the strain on the plantar fascia. Ask a podiatrist or physical therapist to show you the most effective taping method for your symptoms. Be sure your feet are clean and dry before taping, and give your feet a day or two off between tapings.

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