A SUMMARY:
Custom Foot Orthoses Improve First-Step Pain in Individuals with Unilateral Plantar Fasciopathy: A pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial
Plantar fasciitis
- Affects 1 in 10 people over their lifetime
- Significant impact on quality of life
- Challenging condition to treat and manage
- Classically characterised with first step pain
- Diagnosis can be confirmed with ultrasound by the presence of hyper echoic areas within a thickened plantar fascia
Research methodology
60 participants randomised into 3 group: Orthotics, new shoes, control
Research article findings
- At 4 weeks, orthotics group reported less first step-pain compared to control group
- At 12 weeks, orthotics group reported less first step-pain compared to both the shoe group and control group
- At 12 weeks, orthotics group also reported reduction in plantar fascial thickness compared to both the shoe group and control group
Conclusion
Orthotics group showed a reduction in first step pain and the reduction in plantar fascial thickness compared to shoe and control group at the 12 week mark
Mustard Seed Sports Podiatry Case Studies
Patient A
- 28 year old Male
- 6 months history of bilateral heel pain, L>R
- Works as a tradesman, long hours on feet
- Initial ultrasound scan dated 04/03/22 showed:
- R plantar fascia thickened to 7mm
- L plantar fascia thickened to 9mm
- Performed through biomechanical assessment and prescribed orthotics (Orthotics fitted 12/03/23)
- Follow up ultrasound scan dated 24/06/22 showed:
- R plantar fascia 4.7mm (reduced by 2.3mm)
- L plantar fascia 6.7mm (reduced by 2.3 mm)
- Patient also reported complete resolution of symptoms
Patient B
- 40 year old Male
- 5 month history of L heel pain
- Initial ultrasound dated 27/04/23 showed:
- L plantar fascia thickened to 6.4mm
- Performed through biomechanical assessment and prescribed orthotics (Orthotics fitted 31/05/23)
- Follow up ultrasound dated 17/07/23:
- L plantar fascia 5.7mm (reduced by 0.7mm)
- Patient symptoms had subsided by 40%
- Second follow up ultrasound dated 24/08/23 showed:
- L plantar fascia 4.5mm (reduced by 1.9mm)
- Patient symptoms had completely resolved