Efficacy of Stretching Exercises in the Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Prospective Study in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v2i2.4218Keywords:
Chronic plantar fasciitis, stretching, windlass mechanismAbstract
Objective: Chronic plantar fasciitis developed in ten percent of cases with poor response. Specific plantar stretching exercises alone improves the patient with better outcome. It is self limited process with resolution of symptoms within one year but five percent cases may require surgical intervention in intractable cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long term outcomes of the plantar fascia specific stretching exercise only for chronic plantar fasciitis.
Material & Methods: 50 patients with chronic plantar fasciitis for more than three month duration were enrolled in our study for post treatment follow up with effect from Jan 2010 to Jan 2011 in Department of Orthopedics of Manipal College of Medical Sciences. All patients received plantar specific stretching exercise protocol for twelve months interval of one week, three week, two months, six months and twelve months.
Results: Out of 50 patients, 36(72%) were female and 14 (28%) were male. 36(72%) were left sided and 14 (28%) were right. Mean age of patients were 46.12±SD7.11 years. The pre treatment mean visual analogue scale score for all patients is significantly higher than every follow up (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: This stretching of the plantar fascia is a modification of the traditional stretch weight bearing to tissue specific plantar fascia stretching protocol to optimize tissue tension through a controlled stretch of plantar fascia by recreation of windlass mechanism with high rate of satisfaction in regards to decrease of pain and functional limitations.
Key Words: Chronic plantar fasciitis; stretching; windlass mechanism
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v2i2.4218
Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 2 (2011) 97-101
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