Pain improvement after three weeks of daily self-executed cross-friction massage using a fascia ball in a patient with recent-onset plantar heel pain: a case report

ABSTRACT

Background

Plantar heel pain is described as sharp pain at the medial plantar aspect of the calcaneus and medial longitudinal arch of the foot. There are various treatment options that usually need a clinician or a therapist for application. The present case report aimed to describe the outcomes of self-executed cross-friction massage using a fascia ball in a patient with recent-onset plantar heel pain.

Case description

The patient was a 42-year-old man who reported plantar heel pain during the first steps in the morning along with decreased function of the foot and ankle lasting about three months. He was instructed to self-execute cross-friction massage using a fascia ball daily in the evening at home for six weeks.

Outcomes

Pain during treatment decreased from a Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)-score of 8/10 and from a Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ)-score of 34/60 at initial treatment to NPRS- and SF-MPQ-scores of 0/10 and 0/60, respectively, after about three weeks. The patient reported no pain and restored function after six weeks of treatment, and in the follow-up measurements.

Discussion

Daily self-executed cross-friction massage using a fascia ball may be a useful alternative intervention for treating recent-onset plantar heel pain.

KEYWORDS:

• Overuse-injury
• plantar fascia
• manual therapy
• treatment at home
• patient-reported outcomes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Martin Alfuth

Martin Alfuth is a physiotherapist and sports scientist. Since 2014, he has been a full professor of therapeutic sciences at the Faculty of Health Care at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in Krefeld, Germany. He has also been teaching sports physiotherapy at the German Sport University Cologne for 12 years. His research focuses on the investigation of sensorimotor function and strength in patients with load-dependent impairments of the musculoskeletal system, the biomechanical and ICF-oriented analysis of the effectiveness of insoles and orthoses in the context of therapy management in patients with musculoskeletal and neurological impairments, and the evaluation of therapy programs in rehabilitation. Martin is the author of national and international publications and a speaker at congresses.