The Effects of Foot Stretching, Foot Massage and Correcctive Taping on Foot Deformities in Women with Hallux Valgus

Background and Purpose: Hallux valgus not only causes cosmetic concerns and pain but also leads to alterations in gait, which can trigger knee, pelvic, and back pain, ultimately reducing quality of life. For patients with mild to moderate hallux valgus, it is important to implement conservative treatments, such as exercise, to prevent the need for surgery. This study aimed to evaluate whether foot massage, foot stretching, and corrective taping could help improve the symptoms of this foot deformity. Research Methods and Procedures: Thirty women with a hallux valgus angle of 12° or more were selected as study participants. The participants were assigned to the experimental group (odd-numbered participants) or the control group (even-numbered participants) in the order of their consent forms. For 4 weeks, participants visited the clinic twice a week for a total of 8 sessions, during which they received foot stretching and foot massage interventions to alleviate hallux valgus symptoms. They were also instructed to perform foot stretching at least once a day. The experimental group received additional corrective taping as part of the intervention. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0, with t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square tests to examine differences. Results: On the left side, the control group’s pre-treatment mean was 29.51±8.14, which decreased to 21.78±6.86 after 8 sessions (p<0.001), while the experimental group’s pre-treatment mean was 28.56±6.02, which decreased to 15.13±2.62 (p<0.001). On the right side, the control group’s pre-treatment mean was 24.51±9.66, which decreased to 18.11±8.11 after 8 sessions (p=0.002), and the experimental group’s pre-treatment mean was 27.13±8.19, which decreased to 14.53±3.96 (p=0.003). Repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant changes in angles over time between the experimental and control groups for both the left (p=0.007) and right (p=0.012) sides. Conclusion: Foot stretching and massage were effective in reducing the deformity angles in women with hallux valgus. Furthermore, the addition of corrective taping further enhanced these improvements.