Gluteus Maximus Strengthening Exercises Augmented by High-Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients With Plantar Fasciopathy

Gluteus Maximus Strengthening Exercises Augmented by High-Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients With Chronic Plantar Fasciopathy

Plantar heel pain is one of the most commonly encountered problems of the feet in adults [1]. It accounts for nearly 11%-15% of all foot symptoms, The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of high intensity laser therapy combined with gluteus Maximus strengthening exercise on pain, thickness of plantar fascia, and function of the foot.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Plantar Fascia
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Gluteus Maximus strengthening exercise; Device: high-intensity laser therapy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Minya, Egypt, 05673
    • Deraya university

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Unilateral plantar heel pain with or without calcaneal spur for more than 3 months.
• Tenderness at the insertion of the plantar fascia
• BMI index will be from 25 up to 30
• Patient will wear silicone insole .
• Diagnosis of PF based on orthopedic referral

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with presence of foot deformity,
• systemic inflammatory arthritis disease,
• foot surgery, or
• plantar heel pain due to trauma,
• wound, or infection in the foot,
• received oral corticosteroids

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: Experimental: High intensity laser therapy combined with Gluteus Maximus strengthening exercise; patients will receive High intensity laser therapy combined with Gluteus Maximus strengthening exercise	Procedure: Gluteus Maximus strengthening exercise; Maximus strengthening exercise for eight weeks using weight progression tools either elastic band or sand weight by assuming two modes of exercises (clamshell exercise, prone hip extension) with stretching exercise (hamstring, gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantar fascia) 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks; Device: high-intensity laser therapy; A 3-phase treatment program will be performed in each session on the plantar fascia area. Treatment of trigger points in phase 1 and 2 by using power of 9 watts, E2C mode for 6 minute of 2 phases. The draining and vascularization-promoting application involve the whole foot sole, starting from the heel area in phase three by using power of 9 watts, CW mode with energy of 100J/cm2.
Active Comparator: Active Comparator: High intensity laser therapy; patients will receive High intensity laser therapy.	Device: high-intensity laser therapy; A 3-phase treatment program will be performed in each session on the plantar fascia area. Treatment of trigger points in phase 1 and 2 by using power of 9 watts, E2C mode for 6 minute of 2 phases. The draining and vascularization-promoting application involve the whole foot sole, starting from the heel area in phase three by using power of 9 watts, CW mode with energy of 100J/cm2.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain assessment	Pressure algometry (kg/cm2). Pressure algometry will be performed on both affected and healthy feet	3 months
Plantar fascia thickness	by using Ultrasonography, in a longitudinal view of the tendon in both affected and healthy feet (mm). the normal plantar fascia thickness is less than 4 mm	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Deraya University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 10, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 22, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 5, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 5, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): November 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 13, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: laser therapy; obese; Plantar heel pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: physiotherapy 3

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No