November 10, 2010 – A Person Suffering From Plantar Fasciitis Would Get Faster Foot Pain Relief With A Simple Stretching Exercise, German Study Finds1.
This trial was conducted with 102 subjects who had suffered from pain associated with plantar fasciitis for less than 6 weeks.
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What is plantar fasciitis? |
For 8 weeks, half of the participants did a stretching exercise 3 times a day (see box below) and the other group received ultrasound therapy 3 times a week. The researchers evaluated, using questionnaires, the effect of stretching and ultrasound therapy after the clinical trial, i.e. after 2, 4 and 15 months.
After 2 months, about 65% of people who did the stretching saw an improvement in their condition compared to 29% of those who received ultrasound therapy. The same results were reported after 4 months, but the difference was not significant between the 2 groups after 15 months.
Among the participants in the ultrasound therapy, 38 people used the medication for pain relief after the 8 weeks of treatment, compared to only 15 patients in the first group.
The authors conclude that it would be more beneficial for patients to learn to master how to practice this stretching exercise on a daily basis to avoid more expensive and more invasive treatments.
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© University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Orthopedics This stretching exercise is practiced in a seated position by placing the painful foot on the knee of the other leg. The exercise involves grabbing the toes at the base, lifting them up, for 10 seconds. To make sure that the plantar fascia is taut, it is touched with the thumb. The stretch is repeated 10 to 20 times, 3 times a day. |
Carole Boulé – PasseportSanté.net
1. Rompe JD, Cacchio A, et al. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Nov; 92 (15): 2514-22.
