Effect of class IV LASER therapy along with Low-dye kinesio-taping technique or plantar fascia stretching on pain, pain pressure threshold, and disability in individuals with plantar fasciitis: Double-blinded randomized clinical trial

The purpose of this study was to determine which adjunctive intervention, low-dye kinesio-taping or plantar fascia stretching, when combined with Class IV LASER therapy, provides greater improvement in pain intensity, pain pressure threshold (PPT), and functional disability among individuals with plantar fasciitis (PF). In this double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 50 subjects (mean age 29.72 ± 7.47; 13 males and 37 females) with PF, were randomly assigned into an experimental group (class IV LASER therapy + low-dye kinesio-taping technique) and a control group (class IV LASER therapy + plantar fascia stretching) using computer-generated block randomization without sex stratification. Blinding was ensured for both the participants and the outcome assessor. Treatment was administered 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Outcome measures included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) measuring pain intensity, Pressure Algometry for PPT, and Foot Function Index (FFI) for disability. Assessment was done at baseline and after 2 weeks of intervention. Normality was tested with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and statistical analysis included paired t-tests for change within groups and independent t-tests for group differences. Effect sizes were large (d = 1.25 for VAS, 2.48 for PPT, and 0.69 for FFI), corresponding to 62.3%, 48.6%, and 54.2% improvements, respectively, all exceeding established minimally clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds. Significant improvement was observed in VAS, PPT, and FFI scores within both groups (p-value < 0.05), and between-group analysis showed a significant difference (p-value < 0.05) in all outcome measures, in favour of the control group. Cohen’s d was observed to be between 1.4 and 2.2 for primary outcomes. Class IV LASER therapy, when combined with plantar fascia stretching, demonstrated superior outcomes compared to its combination with low-dye kinesio-taping, resulting in greater pain reduction, improved PPT, and enhanced foot function in individuals with PF. CTRI/2023/05/053275.