yup. just flat on the bottom. the idea is that your plantar fascia stretches to allow your foot to flex in the fashion required for shock absorption. then it overstretches and gets inflamed and causes pain. the tape doesn't stretch and therefore places a limit on the amount the fascia can stretch so it doesn't go too far. it seems like it shouldn't work, and yet it does, for me anyway.

and the fat thing. yeah. the np told me i should lose weight. oh, but don't do any exercise that would place too much force on my foot. so, no walking, jogging, aerobics, etc. ummmm, doesn't that make it really difficult to lose weight? she suggested, while i was there with a few month old infant, that i get a bicycle. she wasn't the most observant np i've run into.