Efficacy of Static Stretching Along With Frozen Tennis Ball Exercises in Individuals With Plantar Fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Plantar fasciitis, a prevalent kind of heel pain that affects people of all ages and involves inflammation of the fascia covering the plantar region, is a typical ailment in India. Physiotherapy is among the many available treatment choices. When combined, stretching and freezing tennis ball workouts will aid in recovery from the condition. METHODOLOGY: The 30 participants were selected using a random sampling technique in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A control group and an experimental group were established. A Foot Function Index (FFI) and a Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) were used for the pre-test evaluations. The patient received the regimen for two months. A post-test evaluation was then completed. The findings were determined using statistics and paired and unpaired testing. RESULTS: Thirty participants were divided equally into Group A (control, static stretching, n = 15) and Group B (experimental, frozen tennis ball + stretching, n = 15). Within-group analysis showed a significant reduction in NPRS scores in Group A (pre: 7.6 ± 1.88 vs. post: 6.73 ± 1.38; t = 4.516, P = 0.0005) and Group B (pre: 7.73 ± 1.75 vs. post: 3.53 ± 1.06; t = 16.039, P < 0.0001). FFI scores also improved significantly in Group A (pre: 66.0 ± 12.43 vs. post: 58.73 ± 11.82; t = 11.294, P < 0.0001) and Group B (pre: 70.73 ± 12.10 vs. post: 39.73 ± 5.69; t = 14.025, P < 0.0001). Between-group comparison of the post-test scores revealed a significant advantage for Group B over Group A in both NPRS (t = 7.099, P < 0.0001) and FFI (t = 5.609, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that static stretching and frozen tennis ball workouts have shown a significant and clinically beneficial effect on reducing plantar heel discomfort and impairment of foot function, particularly in individuals diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.