Effectiveness of neuromuscular taping on pronated foot posture and walking plantar pressures in amateur runners

Objectives: To determine the effect kinesiotaping (KT) versus sham kinesiotaping (sham KT) in the repositioning of pronated feet after a short running. Design: Prospective, randomised, double-blinded, using a repeated-measures design with no cross-over. Methods: 116 amateur runners were screened:by assessing the post-run (45 min duration) foot posture to identify pronated foot types (defined by Foot Posture Index [FPI] score of >= 6). Seventy-three runners met the inclusion criteria and were allocated into two treatment groups, KT (n=49) and sham KT (n = 24). After applying either the KT or sham KT and completing 45 min of running (mean speed of 12 km/h), outcome measures were collected (FPI and Walking Pedobarography). Results: FPI was reduced in both groups, more so in the KT group (mean FPI between group difference = 0.9, CI 0.1-1.9), with a score closer to neutral. There were statistically significant differences between KT and sham KT (p <.05 and p <.01) in Pressure time integral, suggesting that sham KT had a greater effect. Conclusions: KT may be of some assistant to clinicians in correction of pronated foot posture in a short-term. There was no effect of KT, however on pressure variables at heel strike or toe-off following a short duration of running, the sham KT technique had a greater effect. (C) 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.