Early Intervention With Therapeutic Exercise in Plantar Fasciopathy

Efficacy of an Early Intervention Programme Using Therapeutic Exercise in Patients With Plantar Fasciopathy

The aim of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of a therapeutic exercise programme in patients with plantar fasciitis applied early and aimed at strengthening the hip and foot musculature.

All patients will be informed about the study to be carried out and will give their prior informed consent. The programme has a first part of teaching directed to patients by physiotherapists, and a second part of application at home, with a duration of 12 weeks. An experimental study will be designed with random assignment of patients with similar characteristics to two groups. The non-experimental group will receive their usual treatment (medication and recommnendations as stretching) and the experimental group will follow their usual treatment and also participate in the therapeutic programe.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with referred pain in the medial plantar area of the heel, accentuated with initial steps after a period of inactivity but also worsening after prolonged body weight bearing, of at least 3 months evolution prior to inclusion in the study.
• Reproduction of the pain referred by the patient with palpation at the proximal insertion of the plantar fascia.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy.
• Injection of corticoids in the area in the 6 months prior to recruitment.
• Previous illnesses that may alter gait (central or peripheral neurological pathology, degenerative and inflammatory arthropathies, systemic illnesses).
• Existence of concomitant foot pathology (metatarsalgia, stress fractures, neuropathies due to entrapment, tendinitis, history of foot/ankle surgery, etc.).
• People who do not have the capacity to understand and follow an exercise programme.