An interventional study of Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) therapy and Sham Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) Therapy in Plantar Fasciitis, sponsored by Ankara Etlik City Hospital. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-10.
Sponsored by Ankara Etlik City Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) therapy combined with an exercise program in patients with plantar fasciitis. The effects of active TECAR therapy will be compared with those of sham TECAR therapy, both combined with the same exercise program, in terms of pain intensity, foot function, pressure pain threshold, ultrasonographic plantar fascia thickness, and health-related quality of life.
TECAR therapy is a non-invasive physical therapy modality used in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Although it is increasingly used in clinical practice, evidence from sham-controlled randomized trials in patients with plantar fasciitis remains limited. This study aims to determine whether active TECAR therapy provides additional benefits over sham treatment when combined with exercise. The findings are expected to contribute to the evidence regarding the clinical efficacy of TECAR therapy in the management of plantar fasciitis.
223 studies on the registry are indexed under Fasciitis, Plantar; 58 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is close to the median of 56 across 194 interventional studies indexed under Fasciitis, Plantar.
Browse Fasciitis, Plantar studies →Ankara Etlik City Hospital is the lead sponsor of 176 studies on the registry; 77 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive active TECAR therapy for 15 minutes per session (5 minutes in capacitive mode and 10 minutes in resistive mode), 5 days per week for 2 weeks (10 sessions), using the BTL TECAR Therapy device. All participants will also perform a standardized exercise program consisting of plantar fascia and calf stretching and intrinsic foot muscle strengthening exercises.
Device: Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) therapy · Other: Standardized Exercise Program
Participants will receive sham TECAR therapy using the same device and application procedure without therapeutic energy delivery, for 15 minutes per session, 5 days per week for 2 weeks (10 sessions). All participants will perform the same standardized exercise program as the active treatment group.
Device: Sham Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer (TECAR) Therapy · Other: Standardized Exercise Program
Active TECAR therapy will be administered using the BTL TECAR Therapy device for 15 minutes per session, 5 days per week for 2 weeks (10 sessions). Each session will consist of 5 minutes of capacitive mode followed by 10 minutes of resistive mode. Treatment will be applied along the plantar fascia of the symptomatic foot, focusing on the medial calcaneal insertion, using conductive cream and continuous probe movement. The intensity will be adjusted to produce a comfortable, mild thermal sensation without pain.
Sham TECAR therapy will be administered using the same device, probe, and application procedure as the active treatment for 15 minutes per session, 5 days per week for 2 weeks (10 sessions). The device will not deliver any energy during sham treatment. The application will otherwise be identical to the active treatment procedure.
All participants will receive a standardized exercise program consisting of plantar fascia stretching, gastrocnemius and soleus stretching, and intrinsic foot muscle strengthening (short-foot exercises). Exercises will be performed three times daily. Stretching exercises will consist of 10 repetitions held for 10-15 seconds, while strengthening exercises will consist of 10-15 repetitions.
Morning First-Step Pain (VAS)
Morning first-step pain will be assessed using a 10-centimeter (cm) Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain); higher scores indicate more severe pain (a worse outcome). Changes in pain intensity will be evaluated from baseline to each follow-up time point.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
General Pain Intensity (VAS)
General pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-centimeter (cm) Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain); higher scores indicate more severe pain (a worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Pain During Activity (VAS)
Pain during activity will be assessed using a 10-centimeter (cm) Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain); higher scores indicate more severe pain (a worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Foot Function Index (FFI)
Foot-related pain, disability, and activity limitation will be evaluated using the Foot Function Index (FFI), which consists of pain, disability, and activity limitation subscales. The total score ranges from 0 to 100; higher scores indicate greater foot-related impairment (a worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)
Pressure pain threshold (PPT) will be measured using a pressure algometer at the most painful region of the plantar heel and recorded in kilograms per square centimeter (kg/cm²). Higher values indicate a higher pain threshold, i.e., lower pressure pain sensitivity (a better outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Plantar Fascia Thickness
Plantar fascia thickness will be measured by ultrasonography at the calcaneal insertion and recorded in millimeters (mm). Greater thickness indicates more pronounced plantar fascia thickening (a worse outcome); a decrease in thickness indicates improvement.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment) and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Health-Related Quality of Life (EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level Questionnaire)
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire, which covers five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), each rated on five levels of severity. Responses will be converted into a single EQ-5D-5L index score using the United Kingdom (UK) time trade-off (TTO) value set (Rowen et al., 2026). The index score ranges from -0.567 (worst health state) to 1 (full health), where 0 represents a state equivalent to death and negative values represent states considered worse than death. Higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life (a better outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (pre-treatment), 2 weeks (end of treatment), and 6 weeks after treatment completion.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Jun 2027, 7 months later.
Of 104 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Fasciitis, Plantar, half reached primary completion within 11 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 21. This study's planned 7 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 109 studies reached it within 11 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 22.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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