Comparative Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique and Trigger Point Release in Plantar Fasciitis

Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique and Trigger Point Release in Plantar Fasciitis: A Comparative Study

Objective of this study was to compare the treatment effectiveness of MET and triggers point release in PF. A single blinded, randomized clinical design was conducted. Thirty patients was randomly allocated into two groups. One group received muscle energy technique and the other receive trigger point release, while both groups performed self-stretching exercises as a home plan. Their pain and foot function serve as outcome measure. Treatment was given for 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Plantar Fasciitis
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Muscle Energy Technique; Procedure: Self-Stretching of Calf and Plantar Fascia; Procedure: Trigger Point Release

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab
    • Faisalābad, Punjab, Pakistan, 38000
      • The University of Faisalabad

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having unilateral plantar heel pain on weight-bearing
• Age 25-45
• Pain aggravated by walking few steps in the morning
• Having at least one identifiable trigger point in calf

Exclusion Criteria:

• Bilateral heel pain
• History of leg and foot tumor
• Lower limb fracture
• Lower limb injury,
• Achilles tendentious
• Ankle arthritis,
• Surgery or any vascular disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Muscle Energy Technique (MET) Group; Post-isometric relaxation was given as the form of MET. It was applied to gastrocnemius and soleus muscle receiving a single set of 5 repetitions separately for 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.	Procedure: Muscle Energy Technique; Muscle energy technique (MET) is an active manipulative technique that requires patient active muscle contraction of a respective muscle from a specific position in a specific direction with 10-20 percent force exerted by the patient which is resisted by the therapist in an attempt to relax and lengthen the muscle.; Procedure: Self-Stretching of Calf and Plantar Fascia; Self-stretching was performed 5 times twice a day with 20 seconds of intermittent stretch and 20 seconds relaxation time.
Experimental: Trigger Point Release Group; Trigger points of gastrocnemius muscle was released for 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.	Procedure: Self-Stretching of Calf and Plantar Fascia; Self-stretching was performed 5 times twice a day with 20 seconds of intermittent stretch and 20 seconds relaxation time.; Procedure: Trigger Point Release; In trigger point release, a vertical downward pressure toward the trigger point for 90 seconds was applied with the therapist's thumb. Three repetitions needed to be done with 30 seconds relaxation time. After that, 3 longitudinal strokes in caudal to cranial direction are given by therapist's thumb over the taut band.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Foot Pain	Numeric Pain Rating Scale was the primary outcome measure.	Four Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Foot Function	Foot function index was the secondary outcome measure of this study.	Four Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Faisalabad
• Investigators: Study Director: Dr Sidra Majeed; PT, MSPP, The University of Faisalabad

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 23, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 23, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): May 24, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 2, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 14, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): September 20, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 16, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 14, 2024
• Last Verified: August 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Muscle Energy Technique; Trigger Point Release
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Foot Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Fasciitis; Fasciitis, Plantar
• Other Study ID Numbers: TUF/DR/MSPP/174

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No