Plantar Fasciitis- A Randomised Control Study between Physiotherapy and Corticosteroid Injection as Treatment

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Plantar fasciitis is a common condition presenting to the Orthopaedic outpatient department, which is treated with analgesics, physiotherapy or intralesional injections. However, which of these treatment modalities provide quicker pain relief is still uncertain.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of physiotherapy versus intralesional injection in treating plantar fasciitis using Visual Analogue Score (VAS) and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) score over a period of 3 months.

Methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, who presented to the Orthopaedic outpatient department, were included in this prospective single-blinded randomised control study. Institutional ethics approval and enrolment of the study in the National Clinical Trial registry were done before initiation of the study. Written and informed consent was obtained from all patients including permission to use clinical pictures for publication purposes. Newly diagnosed plantar fasciitis patients were included in the study. The 60 patients were allotted by computer randomisation into physiotherapy group (Group A) and intralesional injection group (Group B). VAS score and FAAM score were recorded at the start of treatment, at 1-month and 3-month follow-up. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and unpaired t-test were used for intragroup and intergroup analysis of outcomes respectively. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Both groups showed improvement of pain at 3-month follow up, however, intralesional corticosteroid injection provided significant pain relief (P value 0.005) compared to physiotherapy.

Conclusions: Intralesional corticosteroid injection can provide better short-term pain relief compared to physiotherapy.