"Comparison of Shockwave Application on the Sole of the Foot Vs. the Back of the Leg in the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis: a Clinical Trial."

Introduction: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of non-traumatic ankle-foot pain. The exact prevalence is unknown, but it is estimated to be around 10%.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of applying shock waves along the course of the sciatic nerve in the treatment of plantar fasciitis and its effect on pain, as well as to assess changes in ankle-foot functionality and quality of life.

Material and Methods: Forty-eight subjects who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited and randomly assigned to each intervention group. The control group will receive local shock wave therapy, while the experimental group will receive shock wave therapy along the course of the sciatic nerve.

Data Collection: Data will be collected at four different times: before the intervention, one week after, one month after, and three months after. The data collection will be carried out by a team member who will be blinded to the group to which the subject belongs. The dependent variables to be measured are pain (VAS scale), ankle-foot functionality (FFI), and quality of life (SF12).

Data Analysis: The data analysis will use SPSS 29.0. Normality of variables will be assessed, and descriptive analyses will be conducted. Initial homogeneity between groups will be compared, and ANOVA and other tests will be applied according to normality and homoscedasticity. Differences and percentage changes will be calculated, estimating effect size, with a 95% CI and p < .05.

Inclusion criteria

having been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, experiencing pain related to the condition for at least 1 month, and being between 18 and 65 years of age.

Exclusion criteria

being pregnant, having a pacemaker, presenting with rheumatoid arthritis, or having coagulation disorders.