Exercise and Shoe Orthoses in Treatment of Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

Phase 1 Study on Effectiveness of Exercise on Function, Quality of Life and Disability in Patients With Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

Status

Completed

Phases

Phase 1

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00279630

Enrollment

Registered

2006-01-19

Start date

2002-06-30

Completion date

2014-12-31

Last updated

2014-12-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Tendinopathy

Keywords

Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy

Brief summary

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) is the most common cause of painful and debilitating acquired flatfoot deformity in adults. The dysfunction is often progressive and may result in attenuation of the PTT and eventually collapse of the plantar arch or even rupture of the tendon. Current therapeutic management of PTTD is multipronged and includes management with foot orthoses, stretching, and strengthening exercises. Evidence drawn from research related to the management of painful chronic Achilles tendinosis suggests that eccentric strengthening of the posterior tibialis may lead to superior results compared to concentric. The purpose of this research is to determine the effectiveness of treatment interventions used in the management of PTTD.

Detailed description

All study participants receive a pair of custom made orthoses and perform daily calf-stretches. In addition to the orthoses two groups will perform tibialis posterior specific exercises; one as concentric and the second as eccentric activation. Intervention will last 12 weeks.

Interventions

PROCEDUREOrthoses and Exercise

orthrose and exercise - daily

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 70 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Pain (\> 3 months duration) * Pain localized to the medial ankle and foot * Swelling at the medial ankle * Able to perform a single controlled heel lowering

Exclusion criteria

* Bilateral posterior tibial tendon dysfunction * Fixed foot deformities * Previous foot surgery * Presence of any other concurrent foot pathology besides posterior tibial tendon dysfunction * Ability to walk only with assistive device * Neurological disorders * Cognitive dysfunction * Uncontrolled cardiovascular disease * Evidence of cord compression * Uncontrolled hypertension * Infection * Severe respiratory disease * Pregnancy * Current or recent history of low back pain * Known rheumatic joint disease * Peripheral vascular disease with sensory loss of the foot.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Foot Function Index; SF-36; walking distance in 5 minutes; time walking 50-ft; pain following the functional tests	pre- post- 6-month post

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 15, 2026