Plantar FasciitisNCT07294196
Percutaneous Electrolysis Targeting the Muscle-Fascia Chain for Treating Chronic Plantar Fasciitis in Adults
A study testing Exercise and Percutaneous Electrolysis in people with Plantar Fasciitis, run by Sivas State Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of this study is to compare, in terms of treatment effectiveness, a control group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program and percutaneous electrolysis applied to the plantar fascia with an intervention group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program plus percutaneous… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Plantar Fasciitis
- What is being tested?
- Exercise and Percutaneous Electrolysis
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2025to 10 Apr 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients who agree to participate in the study, are between 18 and 70 years of age, have had symptoms for at least 6 weeks, and have a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis confirmed clinically (sharp pain on the plantar surface of the foot upon standing after rest, heel pain that is most severe with the first steps in the morning and decreases with mild activity) and by ultrasonography (plantar fascia thickness recorded as >4 mm on ultrasound), who have not previously received any medical treatment for the condition, who agree not to use anti-inflammatory drugs during the treatment period, who have normal blood laboratory findings, who have no known acute or chronic inflammatory disease, who have a level of education sufficient to understand the treatment and procedures applied, and who are able to complete the treatment evaluation forms will be included in the study.
Who cannot join
- Patients with malignancy, active infection, a history of systemic inflammatory rheumatic disease, trauma, skin lesions, infection or open wounds on the foot, neuropathy, radiculopathy, peripheral circulatory disorders, coagulopathy, warfarin use, arthropathy, congenital or acquired lower extremity deformity, sequelae of lower extremity fracture, the presence of a prosthesis, internal plate or screw fixation, a cardiac pacemaker, a metal implant in the treatment area, conditions that contraindicate physiotherapy such as pregnancy, or metal allergy will not be included in the study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Sivas Devlet Hastanesi
Sivas, Merkez
Serkan Polat, +9555555555, dr.serkan.0505@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Percutaneous Electrolysis Treatment Targeting the Muscle-Fascia Chain in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Study
The aim of this study is to compare, in terms of treatment effectiveness, a control group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program and percutaneous electrolysis applied to the plantar fascia with an intervention group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program plus percutaneous electrolysis applied both to the plantar fascia and to myofascial trigger points in the gastrosoleus muscles. Patients participating in the study will be randomized into two groups. Both groups will receive a conventional home exercise program. In the intervention group, percutaneous electrolysis treatment will be applied to both the plantar fascia and the trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles. In the control group, percutaneous electrolysis treatment will be applied only to the plantar fascia. The percutaneous electrolysis treatment protocol will be administered on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of treatment under ultrasound guidance, using 0.3-millimeter acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (Ionclinics \& A. Deionic SL, Valencia, Spain) at an intensity of 350 µA for 80 seconds. The conventional home exercise program will include plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or cylinder rolling, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles. Patients' subjective pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold using an algometer, functional level using the Foot Function Index (FFI), tissue parameters using ultrasound, and maximum standing and walking times without heel pain; all outcomes will be measured and recorded before treatment, after treatment, and three months after the start of treatment. The aim of the study is to compare, in terms of treatment effectiveness, the control group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program and percutaneous electrolysis applied to the plantar fascia with the intervention group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program plus percutaneous electrolysis applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points in the gastrosoleus muscles.
- Conditions
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Being tested
- Exercise, Percutaneous Electrolysis
- Medical subject headings
- Fasciitis, Plantar
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ExerciseOther
Conventional home-based exercise program consisting of plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or roller rolling under the foot, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles. Participants are instructed to perform the exercises daily for the duration of the treatment period.
Percutaneous ElectrolysisDevice
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis performed with 0.3-mm acupuncture needles connected to an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (Ionclinics \& A. Deionic SL, Valencia, Spain). A direct galvanic current of 350 µA is applied for 80 seconds per point in each session. Three treatment sessions are administered on days 1, 8, and 14. In the active comparator arm the procedure is applied only to the plantar fascia, whereas in the experimental arm it is applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Plantar Fascia Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise | Active comparator | Participants receive a conventional home-based exercise program including plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or roller rolling, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles, plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied only to the plantar fascia on days 1, 8, and 14, using 0.3-mm acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (350 µA, 80 seconds). Receives: Other: Exercise; Device: Percutaneous Electrolysis |
| Muscle-Fascia Chain Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise | Experimental | Participants receive the same conventional home-based exercise program as the active comparator group, plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles on days 1, 8, and 14, using 0.3-mm acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (350 µA, 80 seconds). Receives: Other: Exercise; Device: Percutaneous Electrolysis |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Pain Intensity (VAS)
Pain intensity related to plantar heel pain will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Higher scores indicate greater pain.
Measured: Baseline (before treatment), immediately after completion of the 3rd treatment session (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Secondary outcomes (4)
Change in Pressure Pain Threshold (Algometry)
Pressure will be applied with an algometer at a right angle to the point on the plantar fascia where tenderness is most pronounced, and the patient will be asked to indicate the level at which discomfort is felt. The pressure value at which pain occurs will be determined as the pain threshold, and the pressure-pain threshold will be objectively assessed and recorded. Measurements will be repeated three times, and the best value will be recorded.
Measured: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Functional Status (Foot Function Index - FFI)
Foot-related pain and disability will be evaluated using the Foot Function Index (FFI). Higher scores indicate greater pain and functional limitation.
Measured: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Ultrasound Tissue Parameters of the Plantar Fascia
Tissue characteristics of the plantar fascia (e.g., thickness and echotexture, presence of hypoechogenic areas or neovascularization) will be assessed using musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Measured: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Maximum Pain-Free Standing and Walking Time
The maximum time that participants can stand and walk on a flat surface without plantar heel pain will be recorded using a stopwatch. Longer times indicate better functional capacity.
Measured: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Dec 2025
- Study start1 Nov 2025
- Primary completion1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion10 Apr 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Plantar FasciitisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Sivas State Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Serkan Polat, Sivas State Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07294196
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EPTE-PF-001-S
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 7 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 19 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Percutaneous Electrolysis Treatment Targeting the Muscle-Fascia Chain in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07294196
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EPTE-PF-001-S
- Conditions
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Sivas State HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 10 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this study is to compare, in terms of treatment effectiveness, a control group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program and percutaneous electrolysis applied to the plantar fascia with an intervention group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program plus percutaneous electrolysis applied both to the plantar fascia and to myofascial trigger points in the gastrosoleus muscles. Patients participating in the study will be randomized into two groups. Both groups will receive a conventional home exercise program. In the intervention group, percutaneous electrolysis treatment will be applied to both the plantar fascia and the trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles. In the control group, percutaneous electrolysis treatment will be applied only to the plantar fascia. The percutaneous electrolysis treatment protocol will be administered on the 1st, 8th and 14th days of treatment under ultrasound guidance, using 0.3-millimeter acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (Ionclinics \& A. Deionic SL, Valencia, Spain) at an intensity of 350 µA for 80 seconds. The conventional home exercise program will include plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or cylinder rolling, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles. Patients' subjective pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold using an algometer, functional level using the Foot Function Index (FFI), tissue parameters using ultrasound, and maximum standing and walking times without heel pain; all outcomes will be measured and recorded before treatment, after treatment, and three months after the start of treatment. The aim of the study is to compare, in terms of treatment effectiveness, the control group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program and percutaneous electrolysis applied to the plantar fascia with the intervention group receiving a combination of a conventional exercise program plus percutaneous electrolysis applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points in the gastrosoleus muscles.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Plantar Fascia Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise | Active comparator | Other: Exercise, Device: Percutaneous ElectrolysisParticipants receive a conventional home-based exercise program including plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or roller rolling, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles, plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied only to the plantar fascia on days 1, 8, and 14, using 0.3-mm acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (350 µA, 80 seconds). |
| Muscle-Fascia Chain Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise | Experimental | Other: Exercise, Device: Percutaneous ElectrolysisParticipants receive the same conventional home-based exercise program as the active comparator group, plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles on days 1, 8, and 14, using 0.3-mm acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (350 µA, 80 seconds). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients who agree to participate in the study, are between 18 and 70 years of age, have had symptoms for at least 6 weeks, and have a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis confirmed clinically (sharp pain on the plantar surface of the foot upon standing after rest, heel pain that is most severe with the first steps in the morning and decreases with mild activity) and by ultrasonography (plantar fascia thickness recorded as >4 mm on ultrasound), who have not previously received any medical treatment for the condition, who agree not to use anti-inflammatory drugs during the treatment period, who have normal blood laboratory findings, who have no known acute or chronic inflammatory disease, who have a level of education sufficient to understand the treatment and procedures applied, and who are able to complete the treatment evaluation forms will be included in the study.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients with malignancy, active infection, a history of systemic inflammatory rheumatic disease, trauma, skin lesions, infection or open wounds on the foot, neuropathy, radiculopathy, peripheral circulatory disorders, coagulopathy, warfarin use, arthropathy, congenital or acquired lower extremity deformity, sequelae of lower extremity fracture, the presence of a prosthesis, internal plate or screw fixation, a cardiac pacemaker, a metal implant in the treatment area, conditions that contraindicate physiotherapy such as pregnancy, or metal allergy will not be included in the study.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ExerciseConventional home-based exercise program consisting of plantar fascia and Achilles tendon stretching, ball or roller rolling under the foot, and towel-grasping exercises targeting the intrinsic foot muscles. Participants are instructed to perform the exercises daily for the duration of the treatment period. | Other | Muscle-Fascia Chain Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise, Plantar Fascia Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise |
| Percutaneous ElectrolysisUltrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis performed with 0.3-mm acupuncture needles connected to an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (Ionclinics \& A. Deionic SL, Valencia, Spain). A direct galvanic current of 350 µA is applied for 80 seconds per point in each session. Three treatment sessions are administered on days 1, 8, and 14. In the active comparator arm the procedure is applied only to the plantar fascia, whereas in the experimental arm it is applied to both the plantar fascia and the myofascial trigger points of the gastrosoleus muscles. | Device | Muscle-Fascia Chain Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise, Plantar Fascia Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise |
Primary outcome
Change in Pain Intensity (VAS)
Time frame: Baseline (before treatment), immediately after completion of the 3rd treatment session (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Pain intensity related to plantar heel pain will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Higher scores indicate greater pain.
4 secondary outcomes
Change in Pressure Pain Threshold (Algometry)
Time frame: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Functional Status (Foot Function Index - FFI)
Time frame: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Ultrasound Tissue Parameters of the Plantar Fascia
Time frame: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Change in Maximum Pain-Free Standing and Walking Time
Time frame: Baseline, post-treatment (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Dec 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exercise and Percutaneous Electrolysis in people with Plantar Fasciitis, run by Sivas State Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Pain Intensity (VAS) (time frame: Baseline (before treatment), immediately after completion of the 3rd treatment session (approximately 2 weeks), and 3 months after treatment initiation.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Dec 2025.