title: Effect of stretching with and without muscle strengthening exercises for the foot and hip in patients with plantar fasciitis: A randomized controlled single-blind clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of stretching with and without muscle strengthening of the foot alone or foot and hip on pain and function in patients with plantar fasciitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single blind randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three patients with plantar fasciitis were allocated to one of three treatment options for an eight-week period: Foot Exercise Group (FEG - extrinsic and intrinsic foot muscles), Foot and Hip Exercise Group (FHEG - abductor and lateral rotator muscles) and Stretching Alone Exercise Group (SAEG).
  
  
  METHODS
  A visual analog scale for pain, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score and the Star Excursion Balance Test. All evaluations were performed before treatment and after the last treatment session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvements were found in all groups regarding the visual analog scale, the pain, activities of daily living, sports and recreation, quality of life (p < 0.001) and other symptoms (p < 0.01) subscales of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score as well as posterolateral movement, posteromedial movement and composite score (p < 0.001) on the Star Excursion Balance Test. No time-group interactions were found for any of the variables (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All three exercise protocols analyzed led to improvements at eight-week follow-up in pain, function and dynamic lower limb stability in patients with plantar fasciitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: fisiot.danilo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Danilo H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kamonseki
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: geiseane.agoncalves@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Geiseane A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: liuchiaoyi@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Liu C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Movement Sciences, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: imperiolombardi@ig.com.br.
authors.forename: Império Lombardi
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Júnior
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D036981:Fasciitis, Plantar / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D055070:Resistance Training; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: Muscle stretching exercises; Plantar fasciitis; Randomized controlled trial; Resistance training