Effect of Mulligan Calcaneal Taping on Dynamic Balance and Functional Performance in Subjects with Plantar Fasciitis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel and foot pain, leading individuals to use compensatory techniques to alleviate their pain, resulting in an antalgic gait. These compensations alter the feeling of joint position and muscle activation, making it challenging to maintain an upright posture within the base of support. According to Mulligan's concept, rigid tape allows painful or restricted movements with quick pain relief and increased range of motion while correcting positional faults and reducing tensile tension on the fascia, thereby decreasing inflammation and microscopic tears. Currently, there is a scarcity of data studying the effect of Mulligan's calcaneal taping on dynamic balance. Aim: To evaluate the effect of Mulligan's calcaneal taping on dynamic balance and functional performance in subjects with plantar fasciitis. Materials and Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study conducted at D.Y. Patil Hospital and Research Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It began in March 2023 and concluded in March 2024, spanning one year. Thirty-six subjects were randomly divided into group A (n=18) and group B (n=18). Subjects experiencing pain for more than six weeks, aged between 18-60 years, with a positive Windlass test, plantar medial heel pain, and abnormal foot posture index (between +6 to +9) were included in the study. The experimental group received Mulligan's calcaneal taping along with conventional physiotherapy exercises, while the control group received only conventional physiotherapy exercises. Pre-post assessments were conducted using the star excursion balance test for dynamic balance assessment and the Foot Function Index (FFI) for functional performance. Results: Statistically significant differences were found among the medial (p-value=0.0212), posteromedial (p-value=0.0199), and posterior (p-value=0.0091) directions of the star excursion balance test. Both groups did not show statistically significant differences in the FFI score. However, with effect size, there was good clinical significance for the FFI score and all directions of the star excursion balance test except the posterolateral direction. Conclusion: Mulligan calcaneal taping has been shown to be more effective in improving dynamic balance in subjects with plantar fasciitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]