Case report on efficacy of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization in a patient having heel pain

Abstract

Heel pain is the most common ailment of foot, affecting 10% of population including both younger as well as elder people. It also affects the lifestyle of these patients. Plantar fasciitis is one of such conditions which can cause heel pain. Plantar fasciitis is the result of inflammation of plantar aponeurosis due to its attachment on calcaneal tuberosity. Physiotherapy in form of soft tissue mobilization and stretching can be beneficial to achieve functional goals. The commonest sites for identifying this condition are: 1) Experiencing tenderness and pain in medial tubercle of heel bone 2) painful first step in morning and 3) Pain due to prolonged standing or weight bearing. Instrument Assisted Soft-tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and aggressive manual soft-tissue mobilization (AMSTM) are reported in improving soft-tissue mobility in individuals having plantar fasciitis. A 28-year-old female, diagnosed case of plantar fasciitis complaining of heel pain and difficulty in walking, underwent physiotherapy for 4 weeks, which resulted in reduction in pain intensity and increased foot and ankle’s abilities. This case report suggests that physiotherapy given in the form of IASTM led to improving the functional goals progressively and significantly which is a major aspect leading to a successful recovery. Keywords: Physiotherapy, Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, Heel pain, Plantar fasciitis.