European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Background: People will get plantar fasciitis or fasciopathy nearly 10% in their lifetime, which affects the plantar fascia and causes abnormal thickening and structure. Most patients will be healed within 6 to 12 months, however other people can experience symptoms for much longer. The main aim of this study was to compare the effects of corticosteroid and platelet rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Methods: The present study was conducted in department of orthopaedics at tertiary care centre Chengalpattu district. In this study, Sampling for the selection of study subjects with Randomisation for the allocation of interventions. Total of 60 both in patients and out patients with plantar fasciitis with the age group between 30 to 50 years, were treated with corticosteroids and platelet rich plasma (PRP), for 18 months. Thirty patients were treated with platelet rich plasma. The platelet rich plasma (PRP) was prepared from venous whole blood. The other thirty patients were treated with corticosteroid injection. The primary analysis included visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hind foot outcome scores. Results: The PRP group was more often successfully treated than the corticosteroid group. When baseline VAS and AOFAS scores were compared with the scores at 12 weeks follow up, both groups showed improvement across time (intention-to-treat principle). The mean VAS and AOFAS heel pain scores measured 6 weeks after treatment were 77.5 in steroid group and 87.5 in PRP group, and the scores in both groups were significantly lower when compared with pre-treatment levels.  PRP treatment was more effective resulted higher improvement in VAS score and in AOFAS score at 6 weeks as compared to steroid injection (P value<0.001). Conclusion: Treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis with PRP reduces pain and increases function significantly, exceeding the effect of corticosteroid injection at the end of 6 weeks. Hence, we concluded that PRP injection is more effective in resulting pain relief and function as compared to corticosteroid injection.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and tissue response of intralesional platelet‑rich plasma (PRP) injection with serial USG follow up among 40 patients in plantar fascitis.
Materials and Methods: A total number of 40 patients with plantar fascitis. Pre‑ and post‑intervention visual analogue scale (VAS) for the assessment of pain relief and assessment of plantar fasicia(PF) thickness using USG with 1 month, 3 month and 6 month follow up.
Results: The mean VAS scores for heel pain measured at 1st month of treatment was 3.025±0.831, at 3months was 2.225±0.5767, at 6months was 0.025±0.1581. The decrease in mean VAS score was statistically significant when compared with pre-treatment values (8.926±0.565).
The mean plantar fascial thickness measured at 1 month was 3.575±0.5006, at 3 months was 3.4±0.4961, at 6 months was 3.1±0.2819. The decrease in mean plantar fascial thickness was statistically significant when compared with pre-treatment values (6.5725±0.7161).
Conclusion: Intralesional injection of the PRP is effective and safe modalities of treatment for plantar fasciitis with significant reduction in PF thickness.
 

Objectives:Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition but can be self-limiting condition.
Among the different treatment which exit, physiotherapy and corticosteroid injection
are effective and popular. In this study, the author evaluated the efficacy of standard
care versus ultrasonography guided single dose of methylprednisolone acetate injection
for planar fasciopathy.
Design:This randomized clinical trial conducted in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
department of S M S medical college.
Method:Patients were allocated to standard care physiotherapy group (n=35) and
ultrasonography guided steroid injection group (n=35) equally. Pain and functional
ability on a visual analog scale (VAS), plantar fascia thickness and Foot Ankle
Disability Index (FADI) were evaluated at baseline and at 6 weeks after treatment.
Results:The mean age was not different between both groups (40.60±10.64 years versus
41.43±9.66 years, p=0.734). There was a reduction in VAS from baseline to weeks 6
(after treatment) (65.315±7.182 vs 32.57±4.235, respectively) (P<0.001). PF thickness at
6 weeks significantly reduced to 3.895±0.18 compared to baseline (P<0.001).FADI had a
considerable improved at week 6 (76.675±2.131) compared to baseline (62.915±1.823)
(P<0.001).
Conclusion:Both interventions caused improvement in pain and functional ability 2
months after treatment. Although inter difference were not significant.