Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic benefit of ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) stimulation at the posterior tibial nerve (PTN) in patients with recalcitrant plantar fasciitis (PF).
Design: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial (12-wk follow-up).
Setting: Outpatient local medical center settings.
Participants: Patients (N=36) with recalcitrant PF underwent randomization, and all were included in the final data analysis.
Interventions: Patients in the PRF group were treated with 1 dose of ultrasound-guided PRF stimulation at the PTN, and those in the control group received 1 dose of 2% lidocaine, 0.5mL, injected at the PTN under ultrasound guidance.
Main outcome measures: The visual analog scale (first-step and overall pain), American Orthopedic Foot-Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale, and ultrasonographic thickness of the plantar fascia were evaluated at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment.
Results: Thirty-six patients (20 feet per group) completed the study. The PRF group had a significantly larger improvement in first-step pain, overall pain, and AOFAS score (all P<.001), as well as plantar fascia thickness (P<.05), compared with those of the control group at all observed time points.
Conclusions: This study shows that ultrasound-guided PRF stimulation at the PTN is effective for treating recalcitrant PF. This simple, reproducible method could be a novel strategy for managing recalcitrant PF.
Keywords: Fasciitis, plantar; Pulsed radiofrequency treatment; Rehabilitation; Tibial nerve.
Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.