Study Summary

Thirty-four patients with unilateral plantar fasciitis were randomized to receive high-intensity laser therapy combined with plantar fascia stretching exercises or sham laser therapy combined with stretching exercises. The primary outcome of interest was pain intensity measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included plantar fascia thickness measured by ultrasonography and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores. Outcomes were assessed before and immediately after 9 treatment sessions over 3 weeks. Overall, the results of the study revealed that both groups experienced significant improvements in pain, plantar fascia thickness, and functional outcomes from baseline. There was no significant differences observed between the active laser and sham groups. These findings suggest that adding high-intensity laser therapy to a standardized stretching program does not provide additional clinical benefit for plantar fasciitis management.