Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: June | Volume: 8 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 128-136
Efficacy of Muscle Energy Technique as Compared to Myofascial Trigger Point Release in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial
Bibhuti Sarkar1, Anupam Kumar Mangalam2, Pallavi Sahay3
1Demonstrator (PT), National Institute for Locomotor Disabilitities (Divyangjan), Kolkata.
2Physiotherapist, Regional Hospital Baghmara, Bharat Cooking Coal Limited (BCCL), Dhanbad.
3Physiotherapist, National Institute for Locomotor Disabilitities (Divyangjan), Kolkata.
Corresponding Author: Bibhuti Sarkar
ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Plantar fasciitis is most common cause for plantar foot pain and affects both male and female. Previous studies have reported that MTrP release along with stretching of the calf muscle and the plantar fascia are effective management strategies for plantar heel pain. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of two different techniques i.e. Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and Myofascial Trigger Point (MTrP) release in subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis.
Methods: 45 subjects of chronic plantar fasciitis were included and randomly assigned in to three different groups. Group-A received 12 sessions of MET along with self stretching, Group-B received 12 sessions of MTrP release along with self stretching and Group-C received 12 sessions of self stretching program for 4 weeks. Self stretching of calf and plantar fascia were given as supervised, as well as home exercise program for all three groups.
Outcome measures: Pain intensity was measured by VAS; Tenderness was assessed by PPT at MTrP of calf (PPT-Calf) and at medial calcaneal tubercle of heel (PPT-Heel) and functional status was evaluated by FFI scale at base line and at the end of fourth week.
Result: Statistically significant improvement (p<0.05) was noticed in all the three groups for all the outcomes. In between group comparison all the outcomes showed statistically significant changes except FFI score in favor of Group-B than Group-A and Group-C.
Conclusion: The present study showed that MTrP release is more effective than MET in alleviation of pain & tenderness in subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis.
Key words: Plantar fasciitis, Muscle energy technique (MET), Myofascial trigger point (MTrP) release, Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), Foot Function Index (FFI).