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Nature trails may be a new prescription for foot pain

NCT ID NCT05075005

Disease control Sponsor: University of Florida Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Sep 08, 2026 · Last updated Sep 09, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether walking on uneven nature trails in minimalist shoes can strengthen the small muscles of the foot and reduce pain in people with plantar fasciitis. Researchers will compare this nature-walking routine to a standard approach in healthy adults and those with the condition. Participants walk about 30 minutes on a trail three times a week for eight weeks. The study tracks changes in foot function and pain levels over time.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Walking on nature trails in minimalist shoes
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to reduce plantar fasciitis pain and improve foot function.
What could go wrong
The trial is small and early, and results may not apply to everyone. Walking on uneven terrain could also cause new discomfort or injury.

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 60 people

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

Started

Jul 2022

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 100 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

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 for Group A: * Patients presenting to the University of Florida Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute with pain on the plantar medial or central heel for greater than 60 days with the following features * Pain upon palpation, or insidious pain onset * Pain accentuated after long periods of weight bearing activities or after periods of rest * A reduction in pain following light activities (McPoil et al., 2008) * Failure to respond to treatment modalities for 6 months, including plantar fascia and muscle stretching, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, supportive insoles, and night splints * Age \>18 years Inclusion Criteria for Group B: * Healthy individuals in the general population of Gainesville and surrounding areas * Age \>18 Exclusion Criteria for Group A: * History of lower leg or foot surgery, hindfoot trauma or fracture of the affected limb within the previous year. * Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, neurological disease, Achilles tendinopathy, metatarsalgia, tarsal tunnel syndrome or heel pad syndrome * Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 35 * Currently taking or applying any anti-inflammatory medication or medication to control nerve pathology, prescription or over the counter * Third trimester pregnancy Exclusion Criteria for Group B: * Any foot or lower limb pathology resulting in discomfort or gait limitation * Diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, neurological disease * BMI \>35 * Currently taking or applying any anti-inflammatory medication or medication to control nerve pathology, prescription or over the counter * Third trimester pregnancy

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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.

Plantar fasciitis

How to take part

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  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

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute

    RECRUITING

    Gainesville, Florida, 32611, United States

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