What happened?
A 45-year-old nurse reported six months of heel pain, particularly during her first steps in the morning. Her work involved prolonged standing. The report describes an individualized rehabilitation plan rather than a single isolated technique.
Clinical findings
- Medial and posterior heel pain, most noticeable with the first morning steps.
- Positive windlass test, heel tenderness and reduced ankle dorsiflexion on the affected side.
- Calcaneal squeeze test and Tinel sign were negative in the reported assessment.
Rehabilitation described in the report
- A multimodal physiotherapy programme combining manual therapy, stretching, strengthening and patient education/self-management.
- The paper describes an individualized programme; the summary does not assume a universally applicable dose.
Reported outcomes
- The authors report gradually reduced discomfort and improved functional mobility during the physiotherapy course.
Clinical lessons to consider
- Ask about first-step pain, standing exposure and functional goals.
- Use a cluster of history and examination findings; do not diagnose from a heel spur alone.
- Pair clinic treatment with a realistic self-management plan.
Limitations — what this case cannot tell us
- Single-patient case report; improvement cannot establish which treatment component caused the change.
- The result should not be generalized to every person with plantar heel pain.
Original source
Manali A. Boob, Pratik Phansopkar, Kamya J. Somaiya. “Comprehensive Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Protocol of Plantar Fasciitis for a 45-Year-Old Female: A Case Report.” Cureus, 2024. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51585
View the original publicationThis page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.