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Research Paper | Physiotherapy | India | Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024 | Rating: 5.4 / 10

Efficacy of Calf Stretching and Achilles Tendon Stretching for the Reduction of Pain and to Improve the Foot Function Disability in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: Further Observations

Shyamal Koley ^[12] | Shivinder Singh Gill | Mahedra Kumar Yadav

Abstract: Background: Plantar fasciitis is a common foot complication. It is a disorder of the connective tissue which supports the arch of the foot. It causes pain in the heel and bottom of the foot that is usually most severe with the first steps of the day or following a period of rest. Methods: The present study is the further observation of the earlier study reported by Kaur and Koley in 2020, considering small sample size (n=50). The present study deals with the purposively selected 100 patients with plantar fasciitis aged 25 - 45 years from different hospitals of Mohali and Chandigarh, India. The subjects were randomly allocated into two groups, calf stretching (CF) and Achilles tendon stretching (ATS) for 4 - week interventions. To evaluate the pain and foot function disability of the patients, visual analogue scale (VAS) and foot function index (FFI) were assessed from all the subjects in pre - and post - intervention stages. Results: The results indicated significant reduction (p<0.001) in VAS and FFI in patients with PF after 4 - week interventions using both CF and ATS. The patients treated with ATS had more significant (p<0.001) reduction both in VSA and FFI than the patients treated with CF. Conclusion: In conclusion it could be stated that patients who reported significant relief from symptoms at the end of 4 - week interventions with ATS were double that of the CF. This findings fall in the same directions of its earlier study.

Keywords: patients with plantar fasciitis, calf stretching, Achilles tendon stretching

Edition: Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024,

Pages: 1204 - 1207