Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-65 years. * Written informed consent. * For the patient group: chronic plantar heel pain for at least 3 months, pain during the first steps in the morning or after prolonged rest, tenderness over the medial calcaneal tubercle, and clinical and ultrasonographic findings consistent with chronic plantar fasciitis. * For the control group: asymptomatic individuals without a previous diagnosis or clinical and ultrasonographic findings of plantar fasciitis. Exclusion Criteria: * Tarsal tunnel syndrome, calcaneal stress fracture, plantar fascia rupture, Achilles tendinopathy, heel fat pad syndrome, plantar fibromatosis, or other foot conditions causing plantar heel pain. * Diabetes mellitus. * Inflammatory rheumatic diseases or gout. * Chronic kidney or liver disease. * Malignancy. * Active infection or autoimmune disease * Pregnancy. * Previous foot or ankle surgery. * Corticosteroid injection, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), prolotherapy, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), or other interventional treatment to the affected heel within the previous 3 months. * Serious systemic conditions that may affect serum CTGF/CCN2 levels.