# Effects of dynamic taping and moderate-intensity TheraBand training versus usual care on pain, disability, and well-being in adult National Cadet Corps with chronic heel pain: a pilot and feasibility trial

## TL;DR

This study tested if combining dynamic taping and TheraBand exercises helps reduce chronic heel pain in National Cadet Corps cadets, finding the approach feasible but not significantly more effective than usual care.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is evaluating the combined use of dynamic taping and TheraBand training for chronic heel pain in a specific population.

## Key findings

- The combined intervention did not show statistically significant improvements over usual care in pain or disability measures.
- Feasibility criteria were met with high recruitment and retention rates.
- No adverse events were reported during the 4-week intervention.

## Abstract

Chronic heel pain (CHP), often attributed to plantar fasciitis, is prevalent among physically active individuals such as National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets. While Dynamic Taping (DT) and TheraBand exercises have each demonstrated individual benefits in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, their combined effect remains underexplored. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effects of combining Dynamic Taping with moderate-intensity TheraBand training on pain, disability, and overall well-being among NCC cadets with chronic heel pain.

This feasibility trial was conducted at Galgotias University, which granted ethical approval with reference number DRC/PT/UG/24-25/011, and it was prospectively registered with Clinical Trial Registry India (CTRI//2024/10/074693). Twenty NCC cadets (mean age 20.2 years) with ≥3 months of heel pain participated in a 4-week intervention. Outcomes included the Foot Function Index (FFI) and the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), assessed pre- and post-intervention. Paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) controlling for baseline scores revealed no significant between-group differences in Foot Function Index or SF-36 outcomes (Pillai’s Trace = 0.750, p = .103). Univariate analyses confirmed non-significant group effects for all individual measures after Bonferroni correction (all p > .008), indicating the intervention did not produce statistically superior outcomes compared to the control condition. Feasibility criteria were met with 83% recruitment success, 100% participant retention, intervention adherence of 89.2%–91.5%, and 95% questionnaire completion rates. No adverse events were reported.

The integration of dynamic taping with moderate-intensity TheraBand exercises seem a feasible and promising approach in managing chronic heel pain among active young adults. These results underscore the need for larger, controlled trials to confirm the findings and examine long-term effects.