N/A N=84 Randomized Triple-blind Treatment

Plantar Heel Pain: Multisegment Foot Motion and Muscle Function, FFI Translation, and Evaluation of Treatments

Plantar Fasciitis

Bottom Line

View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03161314 ↗

Enrolled (actual)

Serious AEs

0.0%

Results posted

Jul 2025

Primary outcome: Primary: Worst Pain — 5.96; 5.74; 3.91; 4.08 score — p=0.660

Study Design & Population

Study type: Interventional
Phase: N/A
Interventions: Strengthening exercises (Procedure); Stretching exercises (Procedure)
Age: Adult, Older Adult · 20+ yrs
Sex: All
Sponsor: Mahidol University
Primary completion: Feb 2019

Outcome Measures

Outcome	Result	p-value
PRIMARY Worst Pain	5.96; 5.74; 3.91; 4.08; 3.09; 3.34	0.660
PRIMARY Morning Pain	5.86; 5.04; 3.70; 3.63; 2.90; 2.75	0.128
SECONDARY Cadence	103.16; 101.37; 102.85; 103.70; 104.03; 103.46	0.374
SECONDARY Stride Length	1.05; 1.03; 1.06; 1.06; 1.05; 1.05	0.390
SECONDARY Stride Time	1.17; 1.19; 1.17; 1.16; 1.15; 1.17	0.334
SECONDARY Gait Speed	0.90; 0.87; 0.91; 0.91; 0.92; 0.91	0.287

Summary

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition of plantar heel pain (PHP) that leads to pain, functional limitations, and reduced quality of life, especially among active adults aged 25 to 65. Understanding the biomechanical alterations in foot motion among individuals with PF is essential to inform targeted treatment strategies and prevent symptom chronicity. However, research exploring detailed multi-segment foot motion changes in this population remains limited. Assessing foot function is a key component in understanding symptom development and treatment outcomes. The Foot Function Index (FFI) is an internationally recognized, reliable, and valid questionnaire used to measure foot pain and disability. To facilitate its use in Thai populations and enable cross-cultural comparisons, it is crucial to translate and validate the FFI into Thai. Although exercise interventions such as strengthening and stretching are widely used to manage PHP, evidence regarding their relative effectiveness on pain reduction and gait improvement is inconclusive. Rigorous evaluation of these programs is needed to establish evidence-based guidelines for physical therapy in this population. Study 1: Comparative Study of Gait and Foot Segment Motion Between Individuals with Plantar Fasciitis and Healthy Controls This study aimed to compare multi-segment foot motion during walking between individuals with plantar fasciitis (PF) and healthy controls. A matched case-control design was used, with gait data collected via a 3D motion capture system and analyzed using the Oxford Foot Model. Study 2: Translation and Validation of the Thai Version of the Foot Function Index (FFI-Th) This study aimed to translate the Foot Function Index (FFI) into Thai (FFI-Th) and evaluate its psychometric properties individuals with plantar foot complaints. Study 3: Effects of Strengthening and Stretching Exercise Programs on Pain and Gait in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial This study aimed to investigate the effects of physical therapy interventions-specifically strengthening versus stretching exercise programs-on pain and temporospatial gait parameters in patients with PF.

Eligibility Criteria

Study 1: Comparative Study of Gait and Foot Segment Motion Between Individuals with Plantar Fasciitis and Healthy Controls

Inclusion Criteria (PF Group):

Aged 20-80 years
Plantar fasciitis (PF) symptoms for at least one month
Pain or tenderness at the medial calcaneal tubercle or proximal plantar fascia
At least one of the following symptoms:
Morning pain (first steps in the morning)
Pain after prolonged sitting
Pain during weight-bearing activities

Exclusion Criteria (PF Group):

Other painful conditions in the lower extremity or back
History of rheumatoid arthritis
Neurological or vascular diseases
Leg length discrepancy >1 cm
Severe pain preventing walking

Inclusion Criteria (Healthy Controls):

No current or previous history of PF symptoms
No foot pain

Exclusion Criteria (Healthy Controls):

Same as those listed for the PF group

Study 2: Translation and Validation of the Thai Version of the Foot Function Index (FFI-Th) Inclusion Criteria (Individuals with plantar problems)

Aged 20-80 years
Experienced plantar foot pain or tenderness for at least one month (at rest or during weight-bearing activities)
Able to read and communicate in Thai
No uncorrected visual impairments Exclusion Criteria (Individuals with plantar problems)
Pain in other areas of the lower extremities
History of systemic inflammatory diseases
History of neurological diseases
Received any treatment during the study period

Study 3: Effects of Strengthening and Stretching Exercise Programs on Pain and Gait in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Inclusion Criteria:

Aged 20-80 years
Heel pain lasting more than one month
Pain during the first steps in the morning or after rest
Tenderness at the medial calcaneal tubercle
Plantar fascia thickness greater than 4.0 mm (confirmed by ultrasound)

Exclusion Criteria

History of back or lower limb surgery within 6 months
Recent trauma or corticosteroid injections (within 6 months)
Leg length discrepancy greater than 1 cm
Pregnancy
Inability to perform the exercise program
Receiving other ongoing treatments or performing other foot-specific exercises
Coexisting conditions including:
Achilles tendinopathy
Acute ankle sprain
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Patellofemoral syndrome
Calcaneal spurs
Heel pad syndrome

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03161314). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.