Shock waves do more than just crush stones: extracorporeal shock wave therapy in plantar fasciitis

Abstract

Heel pain is a common orthopaedic problem, The cause of this clinical entity remains an enigma. The overall prognosis is good, however, and the symptoms generally settle well with time. There appears to be little evidence of the effectiveness of local steroid injections and dorsiflexion night splints. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ECSW) has been used in orthopaedics since the 1980s. With this, a new tool has become available for the treatment of plantar fasciitis, achillis tendinitis, shoulder pain and tendinosis of the elbow. In our pilot study we found good results with the use of ECSW therapy in resistant plantar fasciitis. Additional controlled studies are required to define the precise role of this new modality in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.