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Shock Wave Therapy: Do the External Appearance of the Device Influence Clinical Outcomes?

Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Treated With Shock Wave Therapy: Do the External Appearance of the Device Influence Clinical Outcomes? A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02608723
Enrollment
135
Registered
2015-11-20
Start date
2014-06-30
Completion date
2015-06-30
Last updated
2015-11-20

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

Conditions

Pain, Plantar Fasciitis

Keywords

shock wave, plantar fasciitis, placebo effect, nocebo effect

Brief summary

To check in patients suffering from chronic plantar fasciitis treated with shock wave therapy, if the outward appearance of the device affects clinical outcomes.

Detailed description

Study Design: a controlled, randomized, parallel assessor-blinded clinical trial. Patients suffering from chronic plantar fasciitis (duration more than 6 months) will be assigned to three different groups: * Group I: Treatment applied by standard shock waves device. * Group II: Shock wave therapy applied by a modified standard device to offer more attractive, more technical, smarter, better appearance, larger and with an expansion of external information devices more sophisticated. * Group III: Shock wave therapy applied by a modified standard device to offer a more austere, disfigured, unattractive, modest and smaller external appearance. The shock waves emitted to the 3 devices will be identical; the only difference will be the external image of the device. The main outcome will be the function of the foot by the FFI (Foot Function Index) questionnaire. As secondary variables: pain by VAS (Visual Analogical Scale) in different situations, the plantar fascia thickness measured by ultrasound, and the perception of patient recovery measured with the Likert scale. Adverse effects, painkillers consumption and pain experienced during the treatment of shock waves were also assessed. The patients will be followed and monitored for a month, two months and four months after treatment finished. For the statistical analysis of clinical variables, ANOVA (analysis of variance) will be performed to check whether the evolution of patients over time was different depending on the device applied.

Interventions

DEVICEStandard shock waves device

3 sessions were applied: one per week. Energy flux density 0,18 mJ/mm2. Frequency: 8 Hz. 2500 shockwaves/session. The shock waves emitted to the 3 devices are identical; the only difference is the external image of the device.

DEVICEAustere shock waves device

3 sessions were applied: one per week. Energy flux density 0,18 mJ/mm2. Frequency: 8 Hz. 2500 shockwaves/session. The shock waves emitted to the 3 devices are identical; the only difference is the external image of the device.

DEVICESophisticated shock waves device

3 sessions were applied: one per week. Energy flux density 0,18 mJ/mm2. Frequency: 8 Hz. 2500 shockwaves/session. The shock waves emitted to the 3 devices are identical; the only difference is the external image of the device.

Sponsors

Asociacion Colaboracion Cochrane Iberoamericana
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Age greater than 18 years. 2. Being able to understand the explanations about the potential benefits and risks of study participation. 3. Diagnosis of chronic plantar fasciitis. Proven by clinical examination: Meeting at least 2 of the following criteria: * Tenderness in the proximal insertion of the plantar fascia (area of the medial calcaneal tuberosity). * Pain during the first steps to get out of bed in the morning and / or after a period of rest time. 4. With a duration of symptoms ≥ 6 months at the time of study entry. 5. Having received conservative therapy without success, at least two treatments. Treatments may have been made isolated, combined or consecutively.

Exclusion criteria

1. Bilateral plantar fasciitis. 2. Hiper/ hypothyroidism. 3. Diabetes mellitus. 4. Treatment with anticoagulants 5. Inflammatory diseases.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Function of the footFour monthsFFI (Foot Function Index) questionnaire

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
PainFour monthsVAS (Visual Analogical Scale)
Plantar fascia thicknessFour monthsUltrasounds
Perception of patient recoveryFour monthsLikert scale
Painkillers consumptionFour monthsPainkillers consumption
Adverse effectsFour monthsAdverse effects

Countries

Spain

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026