A Movement-System-Impairment Approach to the Evaluation and Treatment of a Patient Who had Foot Pronation Syndrome with Plantar Fasciitis: A Case Report

Background Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common condition affecting the lower extremities, with severe pain beneath the heel in adults. The pain worsens with weight-bearing activities, and its exact cause remains unconfirmed. According to the Movement System Impairment (MSI) model of foot pronation syndrome, several factors contribute to PF, including a lowered medial longitudinal arch, limited ankle dorsiflexion, and foot pain. This study aimed to describe the MSI-based approach for managing patients who had foot pronation syndrome with PF. Study design Case report Observations A 30-year-old man with left plantar heel pain participated in this study. His pain was most severe in the morning and worsened during and after prolonged standing at work. The patient exhibited PF symptoms and was diagnosed with foot pronation syndrome due to MSI. He was prescribed exercises targeting movement impairment, abnormal alignment, and pain. After 6 weeks of treatment, his morning heel pain improved from 7 to 0 on the visual analogue scale. Calcaneal eversion, assessed using a smartphone-based measurement of the resting calcaneal stance position, decreased from 7.7° to 4.7°. Additionally, the navicular height reduced from 16 mm to 8 mm. Conclusions These findings suggest that MSI-based therapeutic approach is effective for patients who had foot pronation syndrome with PF.