Effectiveness of kinesio tape in the treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Yuan Luo, Xiao Chen, Liyue Zhang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed kinesio tape (KT) for plantar fasciitis, including 16 randomized controlled trials. Effects differed by intervention: KT combined with other active therapies was associated with lower pain than control (mean difference [MD] = -1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-2.1, 0], P = .05), whereas KT alone did not significantly reduce pain (MD = -0.54, 95% CI [-1.21, 0.13], P = .11). The authors judged the overall pain reduction statistically significant but clinically modest, below the generally recognized minimal clinically important difference.
Key findings
- KT combined with active therapies reduced pain versus control (MD = -1.05, 95% CI [-2.1, 0], P = .05, I2 = 96%).
- KT alone did not significantly reduce pain versus control (MD = -0.54, 95% CI [-1.21, 0.13], P = .11, I2 = 90%).
- Ankle function improved with combined therapy (MD = 7.6, P < .00001), but not with KT alone (MD = -0.9, P = .8).
- The review concluded that the pain benefit was below the generally recognized minimal clinically important difference threshold.
Why it matters
The findings distinguish KT used alongside other treatments from KT used alone, which may help frame expectations about its role in plantar fasciitis care. Although combined approaches showed statistically significant improvements in pain and ankle function, the reported pain effect was clinically modest, and substantial heterogeneity in pain analyses warrants caution when interpreting the pooled estimates.
What to keep in mind
Pain analyses showed substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 96% for combined therapy and I2 = 90% for KT alone), limiting confidence in the consistency of pooled effects.