Observation on the Efficacy of Improving Ankle Dorsiflexion Limitation in Patients With Plantar Fasciitis
This study aims to design a randomized controlled trial to treat plantar fasciitis by combining conventional rehabilitation with the improvement of ankle dorsiflexion function, and to explore its clinical efficacy by combining various evaluation indicators. Compared with conventional plantar fasciitis, ankle dorsiflexion function rehabilitation training focuses more on the improvement of patients\' foot and ankle function. Conventional PF rehabilitation training focuses on loosening the plantar fascia and gastrocnemius muscle, which can restore the elasticity of the plantar fascia and promote pain relief, but has limited improvement in ankle dorsiflexion function, resulting in patients\' daily life such as walking, squatting, and going upstairs. Ankle dorsiflexion function rehabilitation training is an intervention directly targeting the function of the foot and ankle joint. By restoring the ankle dorsiflexion function of patients, it helps patients correct the force line in daily life movements, reduce the probability of sports injury risk, and improve sports performance and daily life satisfaction. Conventional rehabilitation for plantar fasciitis mainly focuses on relaxing the plantar fascia, gastrocnemius muscle, and plantar flexor muscle strength and strengthening the small muscle group exercises of the plantar foot. The experimental group directly intervened and conducted rehabilitation training for the limited ankle dorsiflexion function. It mainly includes subtalar joint loosening (increasing joint activity space), plantar flexor muscle group relaxation (releasing antagonist muscle tension), ankle dorsiflexor muscle strengthening (enhancing agonist muscle strength), and integrated exercises (integrating ankle dorsiflexion function into gait training). This experiment lasted for a total of eight weeks, and patients were required to complete five home rehabilitation training sessions per week.
• Age range: 30-60 years old; disease course \> 3 months; pain cannot be relieved by conservative treatment such as rest, oral nonsteroidal drugs, and physical therapy; VAS score is less than 6 points.
• According to the clinical practice guidelines of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Heel Pain/Plantar Fasciitis: 2014 Revision \[16\], patients meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for PF, mainly including pain on the medial side of the plantar, heel pain caused by recent weight-bearing activities, pain on palpation of the proximal attachment of the plantar fascia, and positive Windlass test;
• Supine straight knee ankle dorsiflexion angle \<10°; lunge knee flexion \<40° \[50, 51\]; left and right foot dorsiflexion difference does not exceed 1°.
• BMI between 18.5-23.9 (Chinese standard)