A comparison of the acute effects of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy, ultrasound therapy, and exercise therapy in plantar fasciitis

This study was conducted to compare the acute effects of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (r-ESWT), ultrasound (US) therapy and home exercise therapy on pain, fatigue, performance and walking distance in women with plantar fasciitis (PF). Fifty-four female patients diagnosed with PF participated in the study. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups as r-ESWT and home exercise groups, US and home exercise groups, and only home exercise groups. Patients' pain and fatigue levels were assessed by using a visual analog scale. Also walking distances, walking speed and plantar flexor muscles performance were assessed. Patients' pain at night before bedtime and leg fatigue after the 6-min walking test decreased in the US therapy group in comparison to the other two groups (P < 0.05). The 20-m walking speed improved in the US and r-ESWT therapy groups following the treatments (P < 0.05) and there was no difference between the groups. After treatment, while the 20-m walking speed was increasing in US and r-ESWT groups (P < 0.05), no increase was observed in exercise group. But there was no difference between the 20-m walking speed of 3 groups after treatment (P > 0.05). However, all three groups' complaints decreased after treatment. Our study results illustrated that r-ESWT, US, and home exercise therapy have acute effects on the PF treatment and when there is no possibility of practising any treatment to patients, home exercises such as r-ESWT, US treatment are effective therapies for decreasing pain and fatigue levels and improving performance and walking distance.