Does a Relationship Exist Between Plantar Heel Pain and Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Background: Plantar heel pain (PHP) is a debilitating physical condition and may be acute or chronic. The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to examine whether there is an association between patients with PHP and stress, anxiety, and depression.

Methods: A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PEDro was conducted in May 2021. Articles were independently assessed by two reviewers and vetted for eligibility according to set inclusion/exclusion criteria and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Methodological quality assessment of eligible articles was undertaken using a Critical Appraisal Skills Programme-based tool. Extracted data included study design, population characteristics, method of diagnosis, and quality of life measures. A descriptive analysis was performed because of the heterogeneous nature of the data.

Results: In total, 666 citations were identified from the literature search and eight studies were found to be eligible for the review. A total of 5,883 patients with PHP were identified. Four studies were found to be of medium quality and four studies were found to be of low quality according to the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme scoring tool. An association between PHP and quality of life was demonstrated across a variety of outcome measures and study designs.

Conclusions: This study suggests an association between PHP and stress, anxiety, and depression. However, current research in this area is low in both quality and quantity and further robust studies are required to guide management.