A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Physical Therapy With Independent Home Stretching for Plantar Fasciitis.

Background: Although formal physical therapy (PT) is effective in treating plantar fasciitis (PF), it is unclear how this compares with home-based plantar fascia stretching (HS).

Methods: Fifty-seven patients with PF were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial comparing PT with HS. Visual analog scale (VAS), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) scores were analyzed at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year.

Results: At 6 months, VAS improved in both HS (35% decrease; P < 0.001) and PT (26% decrease; P = 0.002) relative to baseline. FAAM Activities of Daily Living scores improved 13.0% (P = 0.005) in HS and 21.3% (P < 0.001) in PT at 6 months relative to baseline. The SF-36 Physical Component Summary Scores demonstrated improvement at all time points in both groups. There were no notable intergroup differences in VAS, FAAM, or SF-36 at any time point.

Dicussion: The clinical outcomes of a home stretching protocol and PT did not markedly differ for the treatment of PF.

Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I.