"Effectiveness Of Short Foot Exercise In Plantar Fasciitis": A Narrative Literative Review

Abstract

Introduction: The most frequent cause of heel discomfort is plantar fasciitis. Pain in the medial longitudinal arch of the foot is a frequent symptom of plantar fasciitis. Short foot exercises have been a widely utilized technique for enhancing postural stability and bolstering the plantar muscles.

Objective: This narrative literature review aims to explore the effectiveness of short foot exercise in plantar fasciitis.

Data sources: Between 2018 and 2023, the literature was gathered using medical database searches on MEDLINE, PEDro, PubMed, and Google Scholar.

Review method: Selection criteria include the papers that affirm the role of the short foot exercises in plantar fasciitis. A total of 22 articles including Randomized control trials, longitudinal studies, case-controlled trials, and original studies in physiotherapy published in peer-reviewed publications, as well as full-text English language articles, were reviewed. Twelve studies were eligible for inclusion in this narrative review.  PEDro scoring was done for all the articles included in the review. Information is extracted from data using a technique called content analysis.

Result: The main focus was on establishing a effectiveness of short foot exercises in plantar fasciitis. This review highlights the short foot exercises impact in plantar fasciitis. Abnormal alignment of foot, therapeutic approaches like toe raise and curl, toe splay, marble pickup, tennis ball roll reduced the pain and function in plantar fasciitis. Stabilization exercises, which increase balance, play a vital role in enhancing foot stability during plantar fasciitis treatment.

Conclusion: This review discovered the vital involvement of the short foot exercises in both the prevention and treatment of plantar fasciitis, presenting opportunities for effective interventions and better patient results. There is still a considerable gap in the research, and high-quality clinical trials to supplement these hypothesized findings are needed