The effect of short-foot training on balance, proprioception, and plantar pressures in runners with medial tibial stress syndrome

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a six-week Short-Foot Exercise program on balance, ankle proprioception, and plantar pressure in runners with medial tibial stress syndrome.

A randomized, single-blind, parallel-group controlled clinical trial involving 30 participants. Participants will be allocated to the Short-Foot Exercise and control groups using simple randomization generated by Random Number Generator software.

Baseline and post-intervention assessments will be conducted by qualified specialists at the Sports Rehabilitation Laboratory of Bu-Ali Sina University. Following baseline assessment, participants will be randomly allocated to the exercise and control groups. The Short-Foot Exercise program will be performed for 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, in the university sports halls. This study will be conducted as a single-blind trial, in which the outcome assessor will be unaware of group allocation.

Inclusion criteria include male runners aged 18–25 years with medial tibial stress syndrome, pain along the medial aspect of the lower leg during or after physical activity, and provision of written informed consent. Exclusion criteria include a history of lower-extremity surgery within the previous 12 months, the presence of acute or chronic lower-extremity injury, neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting performance, and participation in other rehabilitation or similar exercise programs at the time of enrollment

Short-foot training group, control group

Dynamic balance, ankle proprioception, and plantar pressure

Participants will be allocated using simple randomization at the individual level. After confirming eligibility, obtaining written informed consent, and completing the baseline assessments, each participant will be assigned a unique study identification number according to the order of enrollment. The random allocation sequence will then be generated using Random Number Generator software based on computer-generated random numbers. Participants will be assigned sequentially according to the generated randomization list in a 1:1 ratio to either the football-specific Sportmetric training group or the control group. Stratified randomization will not be applied, and allocation concealment will not be performed.

This study will be conducted as a single-blind trial. The outcome assessor will be blinded to group allocation and will perform all baseline and post-intervention assessments without knowledge of participants' group assignments. Due to the nature of the intervention, participants and the researcher responsible for delivering the exercises cannot be blinded.