Year: 2025 | Month: March | Volume: 15 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 208-217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20250330
Effectiveness of Myofascial Release Versus Neural Mobilization in Pain, Range of Motion and Functional Activity in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis
Sangeetha D1, Saravanan K2, Anitha G3
1Physiotherapist, MMI Narayana Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
2Formerly Professor-PSG College of Physiotherapy, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
3Assistant Professor, Vinayaka Mission College of Physiotherapy, Salem, Tamil Nadu
Corresponding Author: Sangeetha D
ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Experimental design (pretest – posttest design with comparative treatment)
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain is a painful inflammatory condition that affects the posterior surface of the sole of the foot. It affects about 10% of the population in the life time. Incidence of the plantar fasciitis peaks between age of 40 to 60 years with no bias towards either sex. Myofascial release is a form of manual therapy approach that involves the application of a low load, long duration stretches to the myofascial complex intended to restore optimal length decrease pain and improve function. Neural mobilization or neurodynamics is a movement-based intervention aimed to restoring the homeostatic in and around the nervous system.
OBJECTIVES: This study is to compare the effectiveness of myofascial release versus neural mobilization in pain, range of motion and functional activity in patients with plantar fasciitis.
STUDY SETTING: Department of Orthopedics, PSG Hospitals, Coimbatore.
PARTICIPANTS: 28 patients with plantar fasciitis were participated in this study.
INTERVENTION: Included individuals were randomly assigned to receive 2 weeks treatment program on myofascial release and neural mobilization
MEASUREMENTS: Numeric pain rating scale for measuring plantar pain, Goniometer for measuring ankle dorsiflexion, plantar flexion and great toe extension, Functional Foot Index for measuring foot function.
RESULTS: Subjects receiving MFR shows that there is an improvement in pain, ROM except great toe extension and functional activity after 2 weeks of intervention compared with neural mobilization.
CONCLUSION: So we conclude that the Myofascial release is effective in reducing pain, improving range of motion and functional activity in patients with plantar fasciitis compared to neural mobilization.
Key words: Plantar fasciitis (PF), Plantar Heel Pain (PHP), Self Myofascial Release (SMR), Myofascial Release (MFR), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Foot Function Index (FFI)