Plantar Fascitis
Conditions
Keywords
Plantar fasciitis, Dry needling
Brief summary
Plantar fasciitis could lead to pain, disability and impaired balance. Dry needling that targets myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) has been shown to be beneficial in reducing pain, improving range of motion and function in patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Previous systematic review suggested a positive effect of dry needling on improving pain intensity and pain-related disability in patients with plantar heel pain (Llurda-Almuzara et al., 2021). However, the generalisability of the result is limited by small number of trials and heterogenicity in the dry needling application. Also, there is currently no evidence on its effect on dynamic balance and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion. This randomized controlled trial is designed to investigate the effectiveness of dry needling on pain, pain-related disability, dynamic balance and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in patients with plantar fasciitis.
Detailed description
Twenty participants aged 18 - 65 years with plantar fasciitis will be recruited and randomized to (1) dry needing and stretching exercise group or (2) stretching exercise group, receiving three treatment sessions over three weeks. The primary outcome measure will be numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and the secondary outcome measures will be Chinese Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) and weight bearing lunge test (WBLT) measured at baseline and week 4.
Interventions
OTHERDry needling
Dry needling + stretching exercise
OTHERStretching exercise
Stretching exercise only
Sponsors
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Dry needling plus stretching exercise versus stretching exercise alone
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age of 18-65 years * Clinical diagnosis of plantar fasciitis in accordance with the clinical guidelines of the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) * Pain intensity of a minimum score of 5 on 11-point NPRS * Presence of trigger points of the gastrocnemius or soleus muscles or both * History of plantar heel pain for over 1 month
Exclusion criteria
* Needle allergy or phobia * Bleeding disorders or severe vascular disease * Pregnancy * Cancer * Fracture or surgery in the foot region or leg * Infection * Dermatological disease in the area of needling * History of injection therapy in the heel during the previous three months * Cognitive impairment * Neurological disorders affecting balance
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in first-step pain intensity | Baseline to 4 weeks | The change in first-step pain intensity will be measured by the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), which is a 11-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in pain-related disability | Baseline to 4 weeks | The change in pain-related disability will be measured by the Chinese Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), which is a 42-item patient-reported outcome measure with a normalized score ranging from 0 to 100. A score of 100 resembling no symptoms and 0 resembling severe symptoms. |
| Change in dynamic balance | Baseline to 4 weeks | The change in dynamic balance will be measured by the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT). Participants stand on the leg to be tested and attempt to reach as far as possible with the reaching foot in 3 directions (anterior, posteromedial and posterolateral). The maximal distance reached along each direction (in centimeters) will be recorded. Greater reaching distance indicates better performance in dynamic balance. |
| Change in weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion | Baseline to 4 weeks | The change in weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion will be measured by weight bearing lunge test (WBLT). Participants lunge forward until the knee could only make a slight contact with the wall with the heel remain in contact with the ground. The maximal distance (in centimeters) from the wall to the tip of the great toe is recorded. Greater distance indicates greater ankle dorsiflexion range of motion. |
Countries
Hong Kong
Contacts
Primary ContactWong
Outcome results
None listed