Comparative study of some conservative measures in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Abstract EN

The aim of this work was to compare the effect of local steroid injection, phonophoresis with corticosteroids, and heel pad insert in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Materials & Methods: Forty-five affected feet were randomly classified into three groups according to the line of treatment.

Group I, feet were treated with local corticosteroids with local anesthetic injection in the heel.

Group II was treated with phonophoresis with local corticosteroids.

Group III was treated with a heel pad insert.

Clinical evaluation was done before and after 2 months treatment and 2 months later as follow up.

Results: There was a statistically significant improvement in the degree of pain and tenderness, and range of ankle motion in the three groups.

Group I had significantly better improvement than groups II and III, and group II than group III.

At follow up 2 months after treatment, there was a non-significant difference between groups I and II and a significant difference from group III.

There was no correlation between calcaneal spur and clinical improvement.

Conclusion: Based on these results, local corticosteroid injection is more effective than corticosteroid phonophoresis and heel pad insert in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.