Frequently asked questions

No. Taking part in TREADON is completely voluntary. If you do decide to take part, you will still be free to withdraw from the trial at any time, without giving a reason and withdrawing will not affect your current or future health care in any way.

If you do not want to take part, or are unable to take part, your right to use health services at your GP practice or elsewhere will not be affected. Even if you decide to take part now, you are still free to withdraw from the trial at any time without giving a reason.

No. The trial treatment given to you will be chosen at random, which is done using a computer so it is purely by chance. This means that you will have an equal chance of getting any of the treatment packages on offer. All participants will receive a self-management booklet which contains information and advice about plantar heel pain.

Please wear comfortable clothing, and possibly wear or bring shorts so that the physiotherapist or podiatrist can fully assess your foot, ankle and lower leg.

No, as long as you are willing to attend one of the clinic sites in the clinic locations tab for up to 6 appointments. Unfortunately, we cannot reimburse actual out of pocket travel expenses.

Unfortunately, we cannot reimburse you for travel and car parking costs that you may have to pay for attending clinic appointments. We are also unable to pay for any charges incurred for sending SMS text messages (your standard message rate applies).

Even if you no longer have any pain, we would still like you to complete the questionnaire. The information that you provide will allow us to fully understand which treatment is best.

Regular updates about the progress of the trial will be posted on the TREADON website. After the trial has finished and we have reviewed the results, the main findings will be provided to participants, hospital sites, GP practices and physiotherapy and podiatry services involved in the trial. They will also be available on the TREADON website, and in places where the trial was advertised in the community.

The results of this trial will be shared at medical conferences and through publication in academic journals which are read by a large number of health professionals. You will not be identified individually in any poster, report or publication.

The TREADON trial is being led by Professor Edward Roddy (Keele University) and other researchers at Keele University, the University of Leeds and Glasgow Caledonian University. They are working in partnership with Keele Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), Clinical Research Networks in England, Regional Health Boards in Scotland, and with patients, GPs, physiotherapists, podiatrists and other healthcare professionals in England and Scotland. The trial is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment Programme (ref: NIHR131638).

All research carried out within the NHS is assessed by an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee, to protect your safety, rights, well-being and dignity. This trial has been reviewed by West of Scotland 5 Research Ethics Committee (reference: 22/WS/0165).

You will have the chance to talk to the trial team on the telephone, and the TREADON researcher during the initial screening call. However, if in the meantime you have any questions, or would like further information about this trial, please contact the TREADON trial team on 01782 732950 during office hours, or email ctu.treadon@keele.ac.uk

If you have any questions or concerns about taking part in research, you can also contact Keele University’s Head of Project Assurance: research.governance@keele.ac.uk

Alternatively, you can contact NHS England on Tel: 0300 311 2233, email: england.contactus@nhs.net

If you have any questions or concerns about your healthcare, you can also contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), which offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters at https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service/