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Plantar fasciopathy treated with dynamic splinting: a randomized controlled trial

PainSci » bibliography » Sheridan et al 2010
updated
Tags: plantar fasciitis, stretch, devices, taping, foot, leg, limbs, pain problems, overuse injury, injury, tendinosis, exercise, self-treatment, treatment, muscle, controversy, debunkery

One article on PainSci cites Sheridan 2010: Complete Guide to Plantar Fasciitis

PainSci notes on Sheridan 2010:

From the abstract: “Dynamic splinting was effective for reducing the pain of plantar fasciopathy.”

original abstract Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.

BACKGROUND: Plantar fasciopathy (or plantar fasciitis) is considered to be one of the most common foot abnormalities, affecting up to 2 million Americans each year, and the chief complaint is acute heel pain. Therapeutic protocols for this condition have included stretching exercises, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and foot orthoses, but a single modality has not been found to be universally effective. We sought to determine the efficacy of stretching with dynamic splinting for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

METHODS: Sixty patients (76 feet) were enrolled in this 12-week study from four different clinics across the United States. Patients were randomly categorized into experimental and control groups. All of the patients received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, orthoses, and corticosteroid injections if needed. Thirty experimental patients also received dynamic splinting for nightly wear to obtain a low-load, prolonged-duration stretch with dynamic tension. The dependent variable was change from baseline in Plantar Fasciopathy Pain/Disability Scale score, and the independent variable was group (experimental versus control).

RESULTS: Two-sample t tests were calculated, and there was a significant difference in the mean change scores of experimental versus control patients (-33 versus -2 points, P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic splinting was effective for reducing the pain of plantar fasciopathy, and this modality should be included in the standard of care for treating plantar fasciopathy.

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