Textured Insoles to Restore Sensorimotor Function in Patients With Plantar Fasciopathy (TIRE)

August 12, 2026 updated by: Jennifer Xu
This study will evaluate the immediate effects of wearing textured insoles on gait, postural control, and sensorimotor function in adults with plantar fasciopathy. Researchers will compare functional performance while participants wear textured insoles to determine whether this intervention may improve stability, movement and future studies of longer-term treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Plantar fasciopathy is a common condition that causes heel pain and is associated with impaired sensorimotor function, altered gait, reduced balance and decreased physical function. Current treatments primarily target symptom relief and do not directly address sensorimotor impairments. Textured insoles provide sensory stimulation to the plantar surface of the foot and may improve balance, gait mechanics and functional performance by enhancing plantar cutaneous input. This study will investigate the acute effects of textured insoles on gait, postural control and sensorimotor function in adults with plantar fasciopathy. Results will provide preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility and potential effectiveness of textured insoles as a treatment strategy and inform future studies evaluating longer-term outcomes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

26

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Jennifer Xu, PhD
  • Phone Number: 8593239850
  • Email: jen.xu@uky.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Kentucky
      • Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40506
        • University of Kentucky - Sports Medicine Research Institute
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of plantar fasciopathy for at least 3 months
  • Able to walk continuously at a self-selected pace for at least 20 minutes
  • Able and willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Concomitant lower extremity injury (example fracture)
  • History of lower extremity injury within the previous 6 months
  • History of hip, knee, or ankle surgery involving bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, or cartilage.
  • Any condition other than plantar fasciopathy that affects balance or plantar cutaneous sensation.
  • Neurological deficits, vestibular disorders, visual disturbances, or other conditions that impair movement or sensory function.
  • Pregnancy
  • Unable to speak or understand English.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Textured Insole
Participants will wear textured insoles while completing gait, postural control, and sensorimotor function assessments to evaluate the acute effects of the intervention on plantar fasciopathy.
Other: Textured Insole
A textured shoe insole designed to provide plantar sensory stimulation by increasing cutaneous input to the foot during standing and walking.
Other: Smooth Insole
A smooth shoe insole without surface texture used as a control device for comparison with the textured insole.
Sham Comparator: Smooth Insole
Participants will wear a smooth (non-textured) insole while completing the same assessments to serve as the comparison condition in the crossover study.
Other: Textured Insole
A textured shoe insole designed to provide plantar sensory stimulation by increasing cutaneous input to the foot during standing and walking.
Other: Smooth Insole
A smooth shoe insole without surface texture used as a control device for comparison with the textured insole.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Postural Control
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit
Postural control will be assessed while participants complete standardized balance testing under each study condition. Performance will be compared between the textured insole and smooth insole conditions to evaluate the acute effects of textured insoles on postural control.
Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Gait Characteristics
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.
Gait characteristics will be assessed during walking trials under each study condition and compared between the textured and smooth insole conditions.
Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.
Change in Plantar Sensation
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.
Plantar sensation will be assessed with the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. The detection threshold will be the lightest weight monofilament (grams of force (gf)) that can be perceived by the participant. Lower values indicate better plantar sensation.
Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.
Change in Pressure-Pain Threshold
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.
Pressure-pain threshold will be assessed with an algometer. The pressure-pain threshold will be measured in kg/cm2. Higher values indicate better pressure-pain threshold.
Baseline and immediately following completion of each intervention condition during the study visit.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Jennifer Xu

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 12, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 118998

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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