Effect of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Versus Stretching in the Treatment of Athletes With Chronic Plantar Fasciitis

Purpose: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a relatively new method in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders such as plantar fasciitis. This study aimed to compare two methods of treatment with extracorporeal shockwave and stretching in athletes with chronic plantar fasciitis. Methods: The study was a randomized clinical trial. A total of 30 male athletes with chronic plantar fasciitis voluntarily participated in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups; ESWT (n=15) and stretching exercises (n=15). Both treatment methods were applied once a week for five weeks. Pain, the range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joint, and the strength of the plantar flexors of the ankle were assessed, using visual analog scale (VAS), goniometer, and dynamometer before and after the interventions. Results: VAS scores significantly decreased in both groups after the treatment (P<0.001). Furthermore, after the treatment, the ROM and the strength of plantar flexors increased dramatically in both groups (P<0.001). There were no significant between-group differences at any time (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that both methods of stretching and ESWT are suitable methods for improving the symptoms in chronic plantar fasciitis. There was no significant difference in the effect of both types of treatment. According to the results, stretching is easier, non-invasive, and less costly method. So, it seems to be a preferable method for ESWT. However, more studies are required because of the limitations of this research.