Determination of Deep and Superficial Heating Combined with Self Static Calf Stretch Exercise among Adults with Heel Pain and Reduced Ankle Dorsifiexion-A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: The use of thermotherapy is been practised in the domain of physical therapy. Patients with heel pain which is caused by composite factors still prevalent so, usage of right modality for treating the pain, facilitating the muscle to stretch thereby increasing range of motion (ROM) for dorsiflexors is needed. This study was also done in perspective of reducing logistics and fiscal matters for both patients and therapists.

Objective: To empirically prove whether short wave diathermy (SWD) or wax therapy increases dorsi flexion of the ankle joint and a significant reduce in heel pain among the patients between the age group of 18 to 35 years with reduced ankle dorsiflexion.

Methodology: A hundred samples whose ROM of dorsiflexion is less than or equal to 17 degrees was recruited for the study and divided into two equal groups randomly.

Results: Effectiveness of Wax bath and SWD was tested separately and it gave a statistically significant improvement in ROM (group 1 mean – 0.540 & group 2 mean – 3.980 at 95% C.I) and decrease in pain. When the two interventions compared the group receiving SWD gained more ROM (t – 9.714, P value < 0.05) and self-perceived pain was less.

Conclusion: This study highlights that the Deep heating technique using SWD has more impact than wax therapy on increasing the dorsiflexion of ankle joint and reducing the pain and also it has proved that wax therapy and SWD has impact on ROM and Perceived pain when treated with them separately.