Instrumental Soft Tissue Mobilization and Foam Rolling

NCT07487753 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: IASTMvsFRMRIIRS/SAHS/PT/2024-25/009
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study compares instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and foam roller therapy in individuals with plantar fasciitis. Both groups receive structured exercises. The study evaluates changes in pain, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, and functional ability after treatment to determine which intervention is more effective for improving symptoms and physical function.

Conditions

Plantar Fasciitis, Chronic

Keywords

Plantar Fasciitis; Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM); Foam Rolling; Pain Reduction; Functional Improvement

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Pain intensity measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

  Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).

  Pre (baseline) and Post (4 weeks)

• Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion measured in degrees using a goniometer

  Ankle range of motion will be measured in degrees using a universal goniometer.

  Pre (baseline) and Post (4 weeks)

• Health-related quality of life measured using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire

  Quality of life will be assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, which evaluates physical and mental health domains. Each domain is scored separately and then transformed to a 0-100 scale, where higher scores indicate better health status and quality of life.

  Pre (baseline) and Post (4 weeks)

• Foot pain and disability measured using the Foot Function Index (FFI)

  Foot function and disability related to plantar fasciitis were measured using the Foot Function Index (FFI) questionnaire. Each item of the Foot Function Index (FFI) is rated on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain or difficulty and 10 indicates the worst pain or extreme difficulty. Scores for the answered items in each subscale are summed and divided by the maximum possible score for that subscale, and the result is multiplied by 100 to obtain a percentage score (FFI Score = Sum of item scores / Maximum possible score × 100). The scores range from 0% to 100%, where 0% represents no pain or disability and 100% represents maximum pain and disability. Higher scores indicate greater pain, functional limitation, and disability related to foot problems. A total FFI score can be calculated by averaging the three subscale scores: Pain, Disability, and Activity Limitation.

  Pre (baseline) and Post (4 weeks)

Study Arms (2)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

IASTM + Exercise

Other: Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)

2

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Foam Roller + Exercise

Other: Foam Roller Therapy

Interventions

Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) OTHER

Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization applied to the plantar fascia and surrounding soft tissues to improve tissue mobility and reduce pain.

1

Foam Roller Therapy OTHER

Self-myofascial release using a foam roller applied to the plantar fascia region to reduce pain and improve flexibility.

2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 18 and 45 years
• Pain on palpation at the medial tuberosity of the calcaneus
• Pain during the first steps in the morning that decreases after walking
• Symptoms present for more than one month

You may not qualify if:

• History of foot surgery
• Inflammatory rheumatic disease
• Previous steroid injection
• Radiculopathy affecting the lower limb

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies: lead

Study Sites (1)

MRIIRS

Faridabad, Haryana, 121004, India

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fasciitis, Plantar

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fasciitis; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Foot Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 11, 2026
• First Posted: March 23, 2026
• Study Start: April 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 15, 2025
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: March 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IN (1)