Vol. 3, Issue 9, Part G (2017)

Background: Plantar heel pain is the most common musculoskeletal disorders of the foot and ankle. Approximately 10% of patients with plantar fasciitis have development of persistent and often disabling symptoms. Treatment of the condition is generally conservative; however the effectiveness of many treatments frequently used in clinical practice, including heel pads, orthoses, steroid injections, night splints and stretching etc. Stretching is frequently utilized as a treatment, yet a systematic review focusing only on its effectiveness has not been published. A poor response to treatment may be due inappropriate nonspecific stretching techniques. This study chronic plantar fasciitis patient were managed with non-weight bearing tissue specific stretching exercise and weight bearing stretching exercise on reducing pain and improving functions.

Methods: 20 subjects from the Vinayaka Mission College of Physiotherapy attached to Vinayaka Mission Medical College Hospital, Salem, Tamilnadu, India were selected randomly and allocated into Group A and Group B. Subjects in Group A were received non weight bearing tissue specific stretching exercise (Plantar fascia stretching exercise) whereas subjects in Group B were received weight bearing stretching exercise (Achilles tendon stretch for 3 sets a day for 2 weeks. Visual Analog scale and Foot Function Index were used as an outcome measures for the study.

Results: Paired ‘t’ test findings indicated significant difference (p<0.05) in pain intensity (VAS) & Foot Function Index (FFI) when compared before and after the non- weight bearing tissue specific stretching exercise and weight bearing stretching exercise in subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis. Independent ‘t’ test findings indicated no significant difference (p>0.05) in VAS (Visual Analog Scale) and Foot Function Index (FFI)when compared between the non- weight bearing tissue specific stretching exercise and the weight bearing stretching exercise in subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis.

Conclusions: The result of this study concluded that there was no significant changes in pain intensity (VAS) and functional status (FFI) among subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis between non weight bearing tissue specific exercise (Plantar fascia stretching exercise) and weight bearing stretching exercise (Achilles tendon stretch). Therefore, this indicates both treatment interventions are effective relieving pain and increasing foot functions among subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis.