By Brian Fullem, D.P.M.
Supplies needed: 1″ tape, 1.5″ or 2″ tape, and pre-tape spray if possible. If you have pre-spray, then spray the bottom and sides of your foot to help the tape stick better to your foot.
You may pre measure and cut the tape before you start. Measure using the non-adhesive side. You will need 2 one inch strips and 4 to 6 wider strips. The 1” strips will measure along the outside border of the foot starting behind the small toe, around the back of the heel and ending behind the big toe.
Take your first one inch strip and begin behind your small toe, running along the outside of your foot, behind the heel and finish just behind your big toe joint. This is your base strip.
Next take your wider tape and apply beginning at the heel. Attach the tape even with the top of the base strip on the outside of your foot and pull up snugly across the bottom ending even with the top of the base strip on the inside of the foot. Overlap by 1/2 all the way up the foot ending behind the ball of the foot.
Try to make sure there are no wrinkles in your skin or the tape. Finish the tape job with a one inch strip the same way you started, covering all the ends of your wider tape starting behind the small toe, running around the back of the heel and ending behind the big toe again.
It should make the foot feel better and help relieve some of the Plantar Fasciitis pain, if it doesn’t then take it off and start again.
Dr. Brian Fullem (brian@docfullem.com) is a sports podiatrist in Clearwater, Florida. He has captained the Bucknell Alumni team that won the last two Reach the Beach relays.
