If your therapist is still using ultrasound on your plantar fasciitis you may want to ask them about this recent study published in Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.

“Additive Effect of Therapeutic Ultrasound in the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial”

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 54 people with plantar fasciitis found that those who received ultrasound with active stretching were no better off (less pain/disability) than the control group who was treated with sham ultrasound and active stretching. Outcome measures included a numeric pain-rating scale, the computerized adaptive test for the foot and ankle, and an algometric test.

The addition of therapeutic ultrasound did not improve the efficacy of conservative treatment for plantar fasciitis. Therefore, the authors recommend excluding therapeutic ultrasound from the treatment of plantar fasciitis and agree with results of previous studies that stretching may be an effective treatment for healing plantar fasciitis.

here’s the full link to the study —> https://www.jospt.org/doi/abs/10.2519/jospt.2018.8110

We will go one step further and add that in addition to stretching, your therapist should be working on strengthening exercises combined with some soft tissue work. If this is not happening, it may be time to give us a call.