Manual therapy interventions in the treatment of plantar fasciitis: A comparison of three approaches

Christopher Yelverton, Sunil Rama, Bernhard Zipfel, Christopher Yelverton, Sunil Rama, Bernhard Zipfel

Abstract

Background: Plantar fasciitis is one of the common causes of heel pain and a common musculoskeletal problem often observed by clinicians. Numerous options are available in treating plantar fasciitis conservatively, but no previous studies have compared combined conservative management protocols.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare manipulation of the foot and ankle and cross friction massage of the plantar fascia; cross friction massage of the plantar fascia and gastrocsoleus complex stretching; and a combination of the aforementioned protocols in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Setting: This study was conducted at the University of Johannesburg, Chiropractic Day Clinic, and included participants that complied with relevant inclusion criteria.

Methods: Forty-five participants between the ages of 18 and 50 years with heel pain for more than 3 months were divided into three groups and received one of the proposed treatment interventions. The data collected were range of motion (ROM) of the ankle (using a goniometer) and pain perception using the McGill Pain Questionnaire and Functional foot index and algometer.

Results: The results of this study indicate that cross friction massage of the plantar fascia and stretching of the gastrocsoleus complex showed the greatest overall improvement in terms of reducing the pain and disability and ankle dorsiflexion ROM, whereas the combination group showed the greatest increase in plantar flexion.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that all three protocols had a positive effect on the ROM and pain perception to patients with plantar fasciitis.

Keywords: Algometer; Chiropractic; Goniometer; McGill Pain Questionnaire and Foot Functional Index; Plantar Fasciitis.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

© 2019. The Authors.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Foot with the hallux hyper-dorsiflexed placing tension on the medial band of the plantar fascia and calcaneal enthesis.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Line graph indicating McGill Pain Questionnaire measurements. Group 1 = mobilisation and manipulation to the ankle and foot with cross friction of plantar fascia; group 2 = stretching of gastrocsoleus complex and cross friction of plantar fascia; group 3 = combination of the three therapies.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Line graph indicating FFI scoring. Group 1 = mobilisation and manipulation to the ankle and foot with cross friction of plantar fascia; group 2 = stretching of gastrocsoleus complex and cross friction of plantar fascia; group 3 = combination of the three therapies.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Line graphs indicating measurement changes for (a) dorsiflexion and (b) plantar flexion. Group 1 = mobilisation and manipulation to the ankle and foot with cross friction of plantar fascia; group 2 = stretching of gastrocsoleus complex and cross friction of plantar fascia; group 3 = combination of the three therapies.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Line graph representing changes in algometer readings. Group 1 = mobilisation and manipulation to the ankle and foot with cross friction of plantar fascia; group 2 = stretching of gastrocsoleus complex and cross friction of plantar fascia; group 3 = combination of the three therapies.

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