Effect of Dry Needling Versus Kinesiology Taping in Patient With Plantar Fasciitis

A single-blinded randomized controlled trial will be conducted at hamza hospital Lahore ,Lahore poly clinic. Total sixty patients aged 20-45 years with clinically diagnosed plantar fasciitis and identifiable myofascial trigger points. Group A received dry needling with conventional physiotherapy once per week, while Group B received kinesiology taping with conventional physiotherapy twice per week. Both interventions were administered for 6 weeks. Outcome measures included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) for functional assessment, and SF-12 Health Survey for quality of life. Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 3, and week 6.

• dry needling (Other): Dry needling involved the insertion of fine needles into identified myofascial trigger points within the plantar fascia and associated muscles. The technique aimed to release muscle tightness and alleviated pain by stimulating the trigger points. Needles were inserted perpendicularly to the skin at the identified trigger points, with the depth of insertion typically ranged from 35 to 70 mm, with 0.30mm diameter.
• kinesiology taping (Other): Kinesiology Taping was applied using an I-shape technique. The taping began from the metatarsal head, extending through the plantar fascia and along the Achilles' tendon to the calf muscle. The application involved specific tension levels to support the plantar fascia and improve functional movement. The taping was applied with the foot in a slightly dorsiflexed position to ensure proper adherence and function.

Primary outcomes

• plantar fasciitis [changes from pre -interventions to 6th week]: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of each foot and connects the heel bone to the toes, known as the plantar fascia
• Pain Intensity [changes from pre interventions to 6th week]: Pain intensity will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS is a continuous scale where participants indicate their pain level on a line ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). The distance from the left end of the line to the participant's mark is measured in millimeters, providing a quantifiable score for pain intensity. A higher score reflects greater pain.
• Functional Status [changes from pre -interventions to 6th week]: Functional status will be assessed using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). The FAOS is a questionnaire designed to evaluate foot-related disability and pain, consisting of 13 items distributed across three domains: pain, disability, and activity limitation. Each item is rated from 0 (no problem) to 4 (severe problem). Scores for each domain are summed and averaged, with higher scores indicating worse functional status
• Quality of Life(SF-12 ) [changes form pre-interventions to 6th week]: The SF-12 Health Survey will be used to assess quality of life. This tool evaluates physical and mental health outcomes, with scores reflecting overall well-being and daily functioning before and after treatment. The SF-12 provides a comprehensive measure of the impact of interventions on patients' quality of life. Scores above 50 indicate a better-than-average health-related quality of life, while scores below 50 suggest below-average health.

Sex: All, ages: 20 Years to 45 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants age group included was 20 - 45 years (Al-Boloushi, 2019)
* Both genders were selected
* The presence of MTrPs on plantar and calf muscles was assured (Al-Boloushi, 2019)
* Patients with plantar fasciitis from less than 1 month Eftekharsadat, 2016)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants who have had an MTP injection 3 months before treatment (Yasar, 2021)
* Participants who have had fractures, Inflammatory joint or systemic disease, skin ulcers and neuropathy (Cotchett, 2014)
* Participants who have needle phobia (Al-Boloushi, 2019)
* Participants with history of prior foot or plantar surgery were excluded (Jianing, 2025)

• Results publication: Al-Boloushi Z, Gomez-Trullen EM, Bellosta-Lopez P, Lopez-Royo MP, Fernandez D, Herrero P. Comparing two dry needling interventions for plantar heel pain: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Surg Res. 2019 Jan 25;14(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s13018-019-1066-4. PMID 30683124