Could a pinch of radiation zap heel pain away?
NCT ID NCT06969820
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether low-dose radiation therapy can ease pain and improve daily life for people with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. About 35 adults who have had pain for at least 3 months will receive the treatment. Researchers will measure pain, function, and quality of life using surveys and MRI scans.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Low-dose radiation therapy
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new, non-surgical option for people with stubborn heel spur pain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage study with only 35 people. It may not show clear benefits, and radiation carries small long-term risks.
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.
- Participants
-
About 35 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Jun 2026
- Expected to finish
-
Apr 2028
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.
Who is studied
Patients with heel spurs experience pain and inflammation, as do those with plantar fasciitis, which often goes hand in hand with it.
- Ages
-
40 years and older
- 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 Hide 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: * Age \> 39 years * Typical clinical picture of plantar fasciitis for at least 3 months without associated trauma, other musculoskeletal co-morbidities or degenerative joint disease * Patients with first-time application of LDRT to the affected joint * Willingness to cooperate and accessibility of patients, especially geographical proximity, for treatment and follow-up * Patients for whom LDRT is indicated independently of the study * Karnofsky Index \>70% Exclusion Criteria: * Achillodynia ("dorsal" calcaneal spur) * Previous trauma to the foot (fracture, tendon rupture) * Musculoskeletal comorbidities of the foot * Acute infections/open wounds in the area of the tendon to be examined or other relevant damage to the tendon to be examined * Local steroid injections into the tendon prior to the study * Rheumatic or vascular diseases, lymphedema * Patients with tumors * Individuals of childbearing potential who do not use adequate contraceptive measures consistently during therapy * Persistent drug, medication or alcohol abuse * Patients who have already undergone radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer * Patients with an increased risk of an MRI examination, including the presence of metal implants, pacemakers or claustrophobia
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Calcaneal spur are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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
-
Department of Radiation Oncology, Translational Radiobiology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
RECRUITINGErlangen, Bavaria, 91054, Germany
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.