STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. BACKGROUND: Plantar fasciitis is the main cause of pain in the plantar surface of the heel. One of the most common conservative treatment modalities used by physical therapists worldwide is therapeutic ultrasound, despite the scarce evidence of its efficacy in the treatment of plantar fasciitis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the additive effect of therapeutic ultrasound in the treatment of plantar fasciitis in terms of pain, function, and quality of life. METHODS: 54 patients afflicted with plantar fasciitis, aged 24 to 80, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomized into an active intervention group and treated by self-performed stretching of the plantar fascia and calf muscles in addition to therapeutic ultrasound. The control group was treated with the same stretching exercises with an addition of sham ultrasound. Both groups received eight treatments, twice weekly. Outcome measures included a Numeric Pain Rate Scale (NPRS), the Foot and Ankle Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) and an algometric test. RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvement in all outcome measures (p < 0.001, both groups). At the completion of the study, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in any of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of therapeutic ultrasound did not improve the efficacy of conservative treatment for plantar fasciitis, therefore, we recommend excluding therapeutic ultrasounds from the treatment of plantar fasciitis. We agree with the results of previous studies that stretching may be an effective treatment for healing plantar fasciitis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy, level 1b.

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