Effectiveness of Mechanical Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Context: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common foot injuries. Several mechanical treatment options, including shoe inserts, ankle-foot orthoses, tape, and shoes are used to relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis. Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of mechanical treatment in the management of plantar fasciitis. Evidence Acquisition: The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane up to March 8, 2018. Two independent reviewers screened eligible articles and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool. Evidence Synthesis: A total of 43 articles were included in the study, evaluating 2837 patients. Comparisons were made between no treatment and treatment with insoles, tape, ankle-foot orthoses including night splints and shoes. Tape, ankle-foot orthoses, and shoes were also compared with insoles. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 5 days to 12 months. Cointerventions were present in 26 studies. Conclusions: Mechanical treatment can be beneficial in relieving symptoms related to plantar fasciitis. Contoured full-length insoles are more effective in relieving symptoms related to plantar fasciitis than heel cups. Combining night splints or rocker shoes with insoles enhances improvement in pain relief and function compared with rocker shoes, night splints, or insoles alone. Taping is an effective short-term treatment. Future studies should aim to improve methodological quality using blinding, allocation concealment, avoid cointerventions, and use biomechanical measures of treatment effects.

A Radiographic Study of Biomechanical Relationship between the Achilles Tendon and Plantar Fascia

“…Pain in the heel includes pain on the plantar side of the calcaneus and posterior heel pain [9,20,21]. In the current clinical work, it was anecdotally found that patients with plantar heel pain often presented with posterior heel pain [22].…”

Orthopedic Footwear for People With Lower-Limb Conditions

“…1 Patients will experience pain, impairment, disability, and reduction in foot function and quality of life. 2,3 The complications associated with these conditions place the lower limb at risk of infection, deformity, and amputation. 1,3 Orthopedic footwear were designed to promote proper musculoskeletal movement and have biomechanical effects in people with these conditions.…”

Autoregulated Combined Resistance Training for Plantar Heel Pain in Athletes: Protocol for a Feasibility Prospective Cohort Study

“…Foot related pain is one of the largest contributors to the musculoskeletal disease burden, with plantar heel pain (PHP) being the most prevalent foot-related musculoskeletal disorder, occurring in up to 10% of the general population [5,6]. The disorder was previously believed to be caused by an acute inflammatory response and termed plantar 'fasciitis', however chronic degeneration of fascia tissue due to repetitive microtrauma as seen in tendinopathy is considered a more likely pathophysiology, which leads to chronic pain and functional limitations [7][8][9][10][11]. Foot injuries are common among athletes, with the incidence of PHP in running athletes ranging from 4.5 to 10%, and it accounts for 5% of injuries in novice runners and 11% in ultra-marathon running athletes [12,13].…”