About this trial
This prospective, single-center, two-arm, parallel-group randomized non-inferiority trial will compare physician-led face-to-face exercise instruction with standardized video-based exercise instruction in adults with plantar fasciitis. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either face-to-face exercise training by an orthopedic physician or access to a standardized exercise video via QR code/web link. The exercise content will be identical in both groups; only the method of instruction will differ. The primary outcome will be the change in the Foot Function Index total/index score from baseline to 3 months. Secondary outcomes will include pain score, Foot Function Index subscales, exercise knowledge, exercise adherence, education time, video viewing status, additional treatment requirement, and patient satisfaction.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Adults aged 18 to 70 years
Clinical diagnosis of plantar fasciitis
Plantar heel pain lasting for at least 3 months
Heel pain that is most prominent with the first steps in the morning or after rest
Disqualifiers
Previous foot or ankle surgery on the affected side
History of foot fracture, foot tumor, advanced neuropathy, Charcot arthropathy, or tarsal tunnel syndrome
Corticosteroid injection, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, platelet-rich plasma injection, or other interventional treatment for plantar fasciitis within the last 6 months
Inflammatory arthritis or systemic rheumatologic disease affecting the foot
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Physician-Led Face-to-Face Exercise Instruction
- Video-Based Exercise Instruction