Intense Therapeutic Ultrasound for Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis: A Pivotal Study Exploring Efficacy, Safety, and Patient Tolerance

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2019Source: The Journal of Foot and Ankle SurgeryAuthor(s): Evelyn Heigh, Laura Bohman, Gary Briskin, Michael Slayton, Richard Amodei, Keegan Compton, Bob BaravarianAbstractIntense therapeutic ultrasound for chronic plantar fasciitis musculoskeletal tissue pain reduction was evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial examining effectiveness, safety, and patient tolerance. In this single-blinded study, 33 patients received 2 treatments that were 4 weeks apart on plantar fascia tissue along with conservative standard of care. Patients were followed for up to 6 months after the first treatment, receiving a physical examination and diagnostic ultrasound at each follow-up visit and completing patient-/subject-reported outcome measure and Foot Function Index surveys. The goal was to reduce overall pain by ≥25% on average and>25% individually. Hypoechoic area changes on diagnostic ultrasound and adverse events were measured. The percentage meeting pain reduction criteria at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 26 were 72%, 81%, 86%, and 79%, respectively. Mean pain scores at each visit were significantly different from baseline (p < .001) at –39%, –49%, –51%, and –44%. Hypoechoic lesions were found in all patients and decreased in size significantly (p < .05) at weeks 8 and 12 (–56% and –67%). Foot Function Index scores declined favorably from baseline (p < .001) at all time points (–32%, –46%, –49%, and –32%). The percentages ...
Source: The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery - Category: Orthopaedics Source Type: research