Development of a clinical prediction rule to identify patients with plantar heel pain likely to benefit from biomechanical anti-pronation taping: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objectives: To develop a clinical prediction rule (CPR) to identify patients with plantar heel pain (PHP) likely to benefit from biomechanical anti-pronation taping (BAPT).

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: An outpatient rehabilitation department in a general hospital.

Participants: Seventy-five patients with PHP.

Main outcome measures: After completing a series of physical examinations, all patients received BAPT and were evaluated with a numeric rating scale for pain intensity, the patient-specific functional scale and foot function index (FFI) for function, and the global rating of change for perceived improvement.

Results: Twenty-eight patients achieved a successful outcome. A CPR with 6 significant variables was identified by a multivariate logistic regression: FFI score less than 33.3, hip adduction angle of the most affected side was greater than the contralateral side, ankle plantarflexors and hip abductors on the most affected side were not weaker than those on the contralateral side, ankle invertors on the most affected side were weaker than the contralateral side, and having more than 2 painful sites in the low back and lower extremity regions. If 5 or more of the 6 predictors were presented, the probability of success increased from 37% to 80%.

Conclusions: A CPR has been developed to identify patients with PHP likely to benefit from BAPT.

Keywords: Clinical decision; Foot pain; Prognostic factors.