Evaluation of the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Year 2023, Volume: 28 Issue: 2, 133 - 138, 23.05.2023

Tuğba Şahbaz , Ahmet Kıvanç Menekşeoğlu

https://doi.org/10.21673/anadoluklin.1190523

Abstract

Aim: It was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) intervention in addition to exercise therapy on pain and functionality in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Methods: A total of 57 participants aged 18-65 years, who were clinically diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and had complaints for more than 6 months, were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups as ESWT (n=29) and control (n=28). The participants in both groups were given exercises for plantar fasciitis and ESWT was applied to the ESWT+exercise group once a week for a total of 3 sessions. Pain status of the patients was evaluated with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and functional status was evaluated with Foot Function Index (FFI).

Results: In the evaluations, a significant improvement was found in VAS resting and activity values, AFI pain, disability and activity limitation values in the 4th and 8th week follow-ups in the ESWT+exercise group and the patients who received only exercise therapy (p<0.05). When the two groups were compared, the improvement in the ESWT+exercise group was statistically significant in all subgroups of both VAS and AFI compared to the exercise group in both the 4th and 8th week evaluations (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In conclusion, ESWT added to exercise intervention in the treatment of plantar fasciitis is an effective and safe treatment method. ESWT treatment in addition to exercise therapy can reduce pain and improve functionality in patients with plantar fasciitis.

Keywords

ESWT, exercise, plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasiit tedavisinde ekstrakorporeal şok dalga tedavisinin etkinliğinin değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Plantar fasiit tedavisinde egzersiz tedavisine eklenen ekstrakorporeal şok dalga tedavisi (ESWT) müdahalesinin ağrı ve işlevsellik üzerindeki etkinliğinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır.

Yöntemler: Çalışmaya klinik olarak plantar fasiit tanısı almış, şikayetleri 6 aydan uzun süredir olan 18-65 yaş arası 57 katılımcı dahil edildi. Hastalar ESWT (n=29) ve kontrol (n=28) olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. Her iki grupta yer alan katılımcılar plantar fasiite yönelik egzersizleri verilmiş ve ESWT+egzersiz grubuna haftada 1 kere toplam 3 seans olarak ESWT uygulanmıştı. Hastaların ağrı durumları Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS) ile fonksiyonel durumları ise Ayak Fonksiyon İndeksi (AFİ) ile değerlendirilmişti.

Bulgular: Yapılan değerlendirmelerde ESWT+egzersiz grubu ve sadece egzersiz tedavisi alan hastalarda 4. hafta ve 8. hafta takiplerinde VAS istirahat ve aktivite değerleri, AFİ değerlerinde anlamlı iyileşme saptandı (p<0,05). İki grup arası karşılaştırmalarda hem 4. hafta hem de 8. hafta değerlendirmelerinde ESWT+egzersiz grubundaki iyileşme egzersiz grubuna göre hem VAS hem de AFİ tüm alt gruplarında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olarak tespit edildi (p<0,05).

Sonuç: Sonuç olarak, plantar fasiit tedavisine egzersiz müdahalesine eklenen ESWT etkin ve güvenli bir tedavi yöntemidir ve ağrıda azalma, fonksiyonellikte iyileşme görülebilmektedir.

Keywords

Egzersiz, ekstrakorporeal şok dalga terapisi, plantar fasiit

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