Effectiveness of Maitland Grade 2 Mobilization vs Mobilization with Movement (MWM) combined with Stretching on Subtalar Joint Function and Pain in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: A Comparative Study

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, affecting nearly 10% of individuals during their lifetime, particularly athletes and those in occupations requiring prolonged standing (Allen & Winter, 2017). Conservative management such as stretching of the plantar fascia and calf muscles has shown significant benefits in reducing pain and improving function (DiGiovanni et al., 2003; DiGiovanni et al., 2006). However, many patients continue to experience persistent symptoms, highlighting the need for additional interventions.

Recent studies suggest that manual therapy techniques, particularly joint mobilization, may enhance recovery. Mobilization with Movement (MWM) has been reported to reduce pain and improve outcomes in plantar fasciitis (McPoil et al., 2015; Hossain et al., 2022), while subtalar joint mobilization using Maitland techniques has demonstrated improvements in joint mobility and reduced plantar fascia strain (Karabay et al., 2018). Despite this, comparative evidence between Maitland mobilization and MWM in plantar fasciitis is limited.

This randomized controlled trial will therefore compare Maitland Grade 2 mobilization with stretching versus MWM with stretching in patients aged 25–55 years diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and subtalar joint dysfunction. Fifty participants will be randomly allocated into two groups of 25 each, receiving 6 weeks of supervised therapy followed by a 2-week follow-up. Outcomes will be measured using the Plantar Fasciitis Pain and Disability Scale (PFPS), a validated tool for assessing pain and functional limitation (Görgü et al., 2025).

By addressing this gap, the trial aims to provide evidence on whether Maitland or MWM, when combined with stretching, offers superior results for pain relief, subtalar joint mobility, and functional recovery in patients with plantar fasciitis.