Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound and calf stretching in subjects with gastrocnemius tightness in plantar fascitis to reduce pain and improve functional ability. Method: 30 patients with plantar fascitis selected from Saveetha college of physiotherapy and rehabilitation center (SPARC) based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients were treated with ultrasound therapy and calf stretching. The pre and post test values of pain and functional ability was be calculated using Silfverskiold test and Foot Function Index as an outcome measure. Results: The mean value and standard errors were calculated for different variables and the difference in mean value was tested for statistical significance using paired t test. P value of <0.0001 was considered as statistically significant. Conclusion: From the statistical analysis and graphical interpretation the final derived results concluded that combined therapy of ultrasound and calf stretching is found to be effective in relieving gastrocnemius tightness in patient suffering with plantar fascitis and it can be used to improve the functional activities.

Background:COPD has been accepted as component of systemic inflammatory syndrome. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure of coefficient of variation of mean corpuscular volume which increases in chronic systemic inflammation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the RDW as a predictor of severity of COPD using BODE index.Methods:In this cross-sectional study 107 COPD patients were evaluated by measuring RDW and this was correlated with the severity of disease using GOLD staging.Results:RDW correlates well with COPD patients. Significant correlation of RDW with BODE index (r=0.650, p and It; 0.001), gold staging (r=0.459, p and It; 0.001), 6MWT (r=0.697, p and It; 0.001) were observed.Conclusions: RDW was found to increase in patients with increasing severity of COPD. Hence its potential role as a marker of severity of disease and in predicting risk of cardiovascular disease can be explored.