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Needle vs. radio waves: which zaps heel pain best?

NCT ID NCT07688876

Symptom relief Sponsor: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares two minimally invasive treatments for chronic plantar fasciitis—a common cause of heel pain that hasn't improved with rest or physical therapy. One group receives ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency, which uses electrical pulses to disrupt pain signals; the other gets a series of 5% dextrose (sugar water) injections around the painful area. Both groups also do a home stretching program. Researchers will measure pain, foot function, and quality of life over 12 weeks to see which approach works better.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
pulsed radiofrequency or 5% dextrose injection
What this could lead to
If one treatment proves superior, it could offer a more effective, minimally invasive option for chronic heel pain that hasn't responded to conservative care.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with only 50 participants, so results may not apply widely. Both procedures are experimental for this condition and carry risks like infection or nerve damage.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 50 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jan 2026

Expected to finish

Jan 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 70 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of chronic plantar fasciitis based on medical history and physical examination * Heel pain resistant to conservative treatment for at least 12 weeks * Age between 18 and 70 years * Willingness to participate in the study and provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Congenital or acquired disease that may impair or prevent foot function, such as rheumatoid arthritis, hemiplegia, congenital foot deformity, traumatic foot or leg amputation, or fracture sequelae * Local infection or skin disease at the treatment site * Bleeding disorder or use of anticoagulant medication within the last week * Disease causing mental dysfunction, such as uncontrolled Parkinson disease or Alzheimer disease * Previous surgery for plantar fasciitis * Refusal to participate in the study or inability to provide informed consent * Failure to attend follow-up visits after treatment * Request to withdraw from the study * Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy * Presence of a cardiac pacemaker * History of epilepsy * Active or previous malignancy * Rheumatologic disease

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

plantar fasciitis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Chronic heel pain Chronic plantar fasciitis Foot pain

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

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