Heel pain breakthrough? new study pits needle therapy against surgery
NCT ID NCT07654660
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares a 6-week non-surgical treatment (manual therapy plus nerve stimulation) with surgery for people who have had heel pain for over 6 months and haven't gotten better with standard care. 120 adults aged 30-65 will choose their preferred treatment and be followed for 6 weeks to see which approach works better for pain and function. The goal is to give patients and doctors clearer evidence on whether to operate or try a more advanced non-surgical option first.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Multimodal conservative intervention (manual therapy and ultrasound-guided percutaneous neuromodulation) versus endoscopic plantar fascial release surgery
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that a non-surgical approach is as good as or better than surgery for stubborn heel pain, helping patients avoid an operation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small trial (120 people) and participants choose their treatment, which can bias results. The non-surgical treatment is complex and may not work for everyone.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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European University of Valencia
Valencia, Valencia, 46010, Spain