BACKGROUND If conservative treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis fails, often a corticosteroid injection is given. Corticosteroid injection gives temporarily pain reduction, but no healing. Blood platelets initiate the natural healing rate. GPS(R) gives an eightfold concentrate platelets of patients own blood. Injection of these platelets in the attachment of the fascia to the os calcis might...

This guide to ultrasound imaging of the ankle and foot describes basic scanning planes contains corresponding high-resolution images. The patient probe positionings are explained in a simplified step-by-step manner using schematic drawings. standard simple examination technique seems be an appropriate way improve learning curve novice musculoskeletal sonographers. In this manuscript, emphasis i...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy compared with placebo in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis. DESIGN Randomised, blinded, multicentre trial with parallel group design. SETTING Nine hospitals and one outpatient clinic in Germany. PARTICIPANTS 272 patients with chronic plantar fasciitis recalcitrant to conservative therapy for at least si...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of botulinum toxin A on associated pain and functional impairment of refractory plantar fasciitis. DESIGN This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 27 patients (43 feet) with plantar fasciitis. Block randomization was performed using computer software. In patients with bilateral symptoms of comparable severity, botulinum toxin A was in...

BACKGROUND Plantar fasciitis affects nearly 1 million people annually in the United States. Traditional nonoperative management is successful in about 90% of patients, usually within 10 months. Chronic plantar fasciitis develops in about 10% of patients and is a difficult clinical problem to treat. A newly emerging technology, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), has demonstrated promising results f...

OBJECTIVE To compare radial shockwave treatment with conventional physiotherapy for plantar fasciitis after 12 months of follow-up. METHOD This was a randomized, prospective, comparative clinical study. Forty patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis were divided randomly into two treatment groups: group 1, with 20 patients who underwent ten physiotherapy sessions comprising ultrasound, ...

Plantar heel pain is a symptom commonly encountered by clinicians. Several conditions such as plantar fasciitis, calcaneal fracture, rupture of the plantar fascia and atrophy of the heel fat pad may lead to plantar heel pain. Injury to the tibial nerve and its branches in the tarsal tunnel and in the foot is also a common cause. Entrapment of these nerves may play a role in both the early phase...

CONTEXT Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is increasingly used for plantar fasciitis, but limited evidence supports its use. OBJECTIVE To determine whether ultrasound-guided ESWT reduces pain and improves function in patients with plantar fasciitis. DESIGN Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted between April 1999 and June 2001. SETTING Participants were recrui...

Plantar fascia (PF) disorders commonly cause heel pain and disability in the general population. Imaging is often required to confirm diagnosis. This review article aims to provide simple and systematic guidelines for imaging assessment of PF disease, focussing on key findings detectable on plain radiography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sonographic characteristics of planta...

A review of the history, mechanism of action, and application of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for chronic plantar fasciitis is presented. The results of 40 feet treated with this modality are reviewed after a mean follow-up time of 8.4 months. All procedures were performed under intravenous sedation and local infiltrative anesthesia. An electrohydraulic shock wave with a mean of 20.6 kV co...