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The Effects of Terrain Variation on Intrinsic Foot Musculature in Healthy Individuals and Individuals With Plantar Fasciitis

NCT05075005 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2025-08-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Modern footwear has been implicated as a contributor to foot pathology and changes in the biomechanics of gait. In addition to footwear, the investigators propose that the lack of terrain variation may directly contribute to the development of common foot pathologies, resulting from decreased intrinsic foot muscle function. This study will examine the current understanding of terrain variation on foot musculature strength and its possible correlation with structural and functional changes within the foot.

Conditions

  • Plantar Fasciitis

Interventions

OTHER

Treatment Cohort

Subjects will walk on a specified University of Florida Natural Area Teaching Laboratory's (NATL) nature trail for approximately 30 minutes, three times per week for 8 weeks while wearing the minimalist shoes provided by the study team. Time, distance, and GPS walking route will be recorded utilizing the MapMyRun smartphone application, which is free to download and easy to use. The study team will assist each subject with downloading the application onto their smartphone and provide a brief training on app use at their pre-trial visit. Subjects will be asked to save each training session within the app to report to the study team upon completion of the 8-week training protocol. Subjects will be instructed to walk at a comfortable pace and to stop if they begin experiencing increased pain or discomfort.

OTHER

Control Cohort

Subjects will walk on hardscapes (e.g. sidewalk, asphalt, track, etc) for approximately 30 minutes, three times per week for 8 weeks while wearing the minimalist shoes provided by the study team. Similarly to the treatment group, subjects will be asked to utilize the MapMyRun smartphone application to record their training sessions. Subjects will be instructed to walk at a comfortable pace and to stop if they begin experiencing increased pain or discomfort.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Florida

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Antony Merendino, DPM · University of Florida

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
100 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-07-15
Primary Completion
2026-08-20
Completion
2026-08-20

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05075005 on ClinicalTrials.gov