Feasibility Study of Personalized Treatment Pathways for Plantar Heel Pain Using a SMART Design

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are exploring the best ways to treat heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis through a feasibility study that tests different treatment combinations and study methods. This study aims to prepare for a larger future trial by evaluating whether the research design is practical, if enough people can be recruited, and if the treatments and procedures are acceptable to both patients and healthcare staff. Participants will be randomly assigned to begin with either a virtual consultation with a podiatrist or a self-help video, both providing advice on managing heel pain. After at least four weeks of following this initial advice, those who still have pain will be reassessed and randomly assigned to receive either orthotic devices shoe insoles or a course of Shockwave therapy, which uses ultrasound pulses to stimulate healing. These treatment pathways are standard NHS practices, and no experimental devices or techniques will be used. During the six months of participation, individuals will complete questionnaires and keep a diary about their heel pain. Some participants might also join interviews or group discussions to share their experiences. Researchers will monitor recruitment success, treatment adherence, patient and staff acceptance, and retention rates. The study aims to inform whether a full-scale trial can be conducted to test the effectiveness of personalized treatment pathways for heel pain.

HeEL Pain Pathways Feasibility Study