The Therapeutic Effect of Ultrasound in Reduction of Heel Pain in Plantar Fasciitis

Respecting the prevalence of plantal fasciitis and limited numbers of clinical trials in this field demonstrating the effecacy of ultrasound application in treatment of such patients, this study was carried out to show whether this mode of therapy is of beneficial outcomes. Patients experiencing episodes of plantar heel pain were allocated randomly at each episode to receive either true ultrasound (machine calibrated to deliver a dose of ultrasound at 1 w/cm2, 3 MHz, Duty factor=20%, for five minutes), or sham ultrasound (only the timer on the machine activated). Each episode was treated according to randomization, ten times. Furthermore, both groups were given silicone gel heel pad and trained to stretch their posterior calf and posterior thigh muscles twice a day, each time five minutes. Subjects’ pain scores were measured on a 10 cm linear analogue scale, both before the commencement of the ten-session treatments and at the end of the course. Data were analyzed using a Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test. Twenty nine patients experienced episodes of heel pain (13 bilateral). Both groups showed a reduction in their pain; the first step pain improvement was 31% in the treated group and 23% in the placebo group (P< 0.45); the exertional pain improvement was 18% in the treated group and 10% in the placebo group (P< 0.65). Therapeutic ultrasound at a dosage of 1w/cm2, 3MHz, Duty factor=20%, for ten minutes is no more effective than placebo in the reduction of heel pain in plantar fasciitis.