Abstract: BACKGROUND: Kinesio taping is often used for the treatment of various sports injuries. The methods of foot and ankle sports taping are complex and diverse. Among them, Fascia taping is applicable to a wider range of people and can be used for different foot posture types, but it still lacks of practical verification, and its specific biomechanical role is not clear.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in plantar pressure characteristics of subjects with different foot positions during walking and jogging after Fascia taping.
METHODS: Thirty-seven young healthy subjects were recruited from the Yantai campus of Binzhou Medical University to conduct the test. They were scored according to the foot posture index-six items version, and were divided into the supination foot group, the neutral foot group, and the pronation foot group. The static foot morphological indexes (including navicular drop, arch height index, arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch, and arch height flexibility-transverse arch) and the pressure-time integral of each foot zone during walking and jogging were collected and calculated respectively before and after Kinesio taping. The specific biomechanical mechanism of Fascia taping was analyzed.   
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) General data: There was no statistical difference among the three groups of subjects in general data, such as gender, height, and body mass index (P > 0.05). Before taping, there was a significant difference in the foot morphological indexes and the areas of the outer front foot, midfoot, and hindfoot between different foot posture groups (P < 0.01). (2) Static foot morphological indexes: After taping, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in navicular drop, arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch, and arch height flexibility-transverse arch (P > 0.05), while there was still a significant difference between the groups in the arch height index (P < 0.05). In the supination foot group, the arch height index increased slightly, but there was no significant difference before and after taping (P > 0.05). In the pronation foot group, the navicular drop and arch height flexibility-longitudinal arch was significantly reduced, and the arch height index was increased. There was a significant difference before and after taping (P < 0.05). (3) The index of plantar pressure during walking: After taping, there was no significant difference between the three groups in the area of lateral forefoot and medial midfoot (P > 0.05). In the pronation foot group, the lateral load of the forefoot increased after taping (P < 0.05). In the supination position group, the load of the lateral forefoot and midfoot regions increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the difference in the rear foot region was not significant (P > 0.05). (4) The index of plantar pressure during jogging: After taping, there was no statistically significant difference between groups in the lateral forefoot (P > 0.05). In the pronation foot group, the load of the medial forefoot increased significantly (P < 0.05). In the supination position group, the load of the lateral forefoot, the middle foot and the rear foot region increased significantly (P < 0.05). (5) The results showed that the Fascia taping was suitable for different foot postures. It could not only correct the static foot structure of subjects with different foot postures, but also regulate the abnormal plantar pressure distribution during the dynamic activities of walking and jogging, and the load of the midfoot, forefoot, and hindfoot in the supination and pronation posture tended to normal foot posture load level.

Key words: foot posture index, Kinesio taping, plantar pressure, biomechanics, walking, jogging