Plantar Fasciitis

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Vinod Babu K. et al. conducted research on the effectiveness of instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization technique with static stretching in subjects with plantar fasciitis. He concluded that this mobilization technique combined with static stretching of triceps surae muscle is significantly more effective than conventional exercises in reducing pain, improving ankle dorsiflexion ROM and functional disability for subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis. It is recommended that implementation of instrumental assisted soft tissue mobilization technique combined in advance is clinically beneficial in the treatment chronic plantar fascitis.1

Brian Young et al. conducted research on a combined treatment approach priority to impairment based manual physical therapy for plantar heel pain: a case series. He concluded that in this case series, patients with plantar heel pain treated with an impairment based physical therapy approach priority to manual therapy demonstrated complete pain relief. In future, it is determining the effectiveness of impairment based physical therapy interventions for patients with plantar fasciitis.2
She concluded that this patient had good results using MET’s incorporated into her therapy session. Though her results may have been confounded by the use of ultrasound, massage and possibly a placebo effect of patient interaction with therapist it is unlikely that these were the main contributors to her recovery. Further research is needed in order for there to be definitive results of MET’s and researchers should also look into the reliability and validity of components of manual therapy like palpation which often lead to the mechanical diagnosis and treatment of each patient.