Is shockwave therapy a valid alternative for treating plantar fasciitis?
Extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT) may be an alternative therapy for plantar fasciitis that is unresponsive to other measures. Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition that can lead to functional limitations, and it sometimes responds poorly to treatments like rest, physical therapy, orthotics, NSAIDs, and/or corticosteroid injections. Wang et al. (2006) reported positive long-term results using ESWT in a prospective randomized clinical trial evaluating 149 patients with a diagnosis of chronic plantar fasciitis. After the treatment intervention, patients were evaluated at 60-72 months for the study group (ESWT), and at 34-64 months for the control group. Clinical outcomes assessed were improvements in pain and function rated as excellent, good, fair, or poor. Patients in the study group (n=79) received one shockwave therapy session; 69.1% of them reported excellent results and 13.6% reported good results. Control group patients (n=70) received standard conservative treatment; 0%
