Lived experience and attitudes of people with plantar heel pain: a qualitative exploration

Is radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT), sham-rESWT or a standardised exercise programme in combination with advice plus customised foot orthoses more effective than advice plus customised foot orthoses alone in the treatment of plantar fasciopathy? A double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT), sham-rESWT or a standardised exercise programme in combination with advice plus customised foot orthoses is more effective than advice plus customised foot orthoses alone in alleviating heel pain in patients with plantar fasciopathy.

METHODS

200 patients with plantar fasciopathy were included in a four-arm, parallel-group, sham-controlled, observer-blinded, partly patient-blinded trial. At baseline, before randomisation, all patients received advice plus customised foot orthoses. Patients were randomised to rESWT (n=50), sham-rESWT (n=50), exercise (n=50) or advice plus customised foot orthoses alone (n=50). Patients in the rESWT and sham-rESWT groups received three treatments. The exercise programme comprised two exercises performed three times a week for 12 weeks, including eight supervised sessions with a physiotherapist. Patients allocated to advice plus customised foot orthoses did not receive additional treatment. The primary outcome was change in heel pain during activity in the previous week per Numeric Rating Scale (0-10) from baseline to 6-month follow-up. The outcome was collected at baseline, and 3, 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS

The primary analysis showed no statistically significant between-group differences in mean change in heel pain during activity for rESWT versus advice plus customised foot orthoses (-0.02, 95% CI -1.01 to 0.96), sham-rESWT versus advice plus customised foot orthoses (0.52, 95% CI -0.49 to 1.53) and exercise versus advice plus customised foot orthoses (-0.11, 95% CI -1.11 to 0.89) at 6 months.

CONCLUSION

In patients with plantar fasciopathy, there was no additional benefit of rESWT, sham-rESWT or a standardised exercise programme over advice plus customised foot orthoses in alleviating heel pain.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03472989.

Development of a foot and ankle strengthening program for the treatment of plantar heel pain: a Delphi consensus study

BACKGROUND

People with plantar heel pain (PHP) have reduced foot and ankle muscle function, strength and size, which is frequently treated by muscle strengthening exercises. However, there has been little investigation of what exercises are used and there is no sound evidence base to guide practice. This study aimed to develop a consensus-driven progressive muscle strengthening program for PHP.

METHODS

Thirty-eight experts were invited to participate in the study over three rounds. Round 1 was an open-ended questionnaire that provided the core characteristics of progressive strengthening programs designed for three different adult patient types with PHP (younger athletic, overweight middle-aged, older), which were presented as vignettes. In Round 2, experts indicated their agreement to the proposed exercises and training variables. In Round 3, experts were presented with amendments to the exercises based on responses from Round 2 and indicated their agreement to those changes. Consensus was achieved when > 70% of experts agreed.

RESULTS

Two experts were ineligible and 12 declined, leaving 24 (67%) who participated in Round 1. Eighteen (75%) completed all three rounds. From Round 1, progressive strengthening programs were developed for the three vignettes, which included 10 different exercises and three training variables (sets / repetitions, weight, and frequency). In Round 2, 68% (n = 17) of exercises and 96% (n = 72) of training variables reached consensus. In Round 3, only exercise changes were presented and 100% of exercises reached consensus.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides three progressive strengthening programs agreed to by experts that can be used in future clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of muscle strengthening for PHP. In addition, clinicians could use the programs as part of a rehabilitation strategy with the caveat that they may change as more research is conducted.

Living with foot and ankle disorders in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: A systematic review of qualitative studies to inform the work of the OMERACT Foot and Ankle Working Group

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine outcome domains of importance to patients living with foot and ankle disorders in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), by exploring the symptoms and impact of these disorders reported in existing qualitative studies.

METHODS

Six databases were searched from inception to March 2022. Studies were included if they used qualitative interview or focus group methods, were published in English, and involved participants living with RMDs (inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, crystal arthropathies, connective tissue diseases, and musculoskeletal conditions in the absence of systemic disease) who had experienced foot and ankle problems. Quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative tool and confidence in the findings was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) approach. All data from the results section of included studies were extracted, coded and synthesised to develop themes.

RESULTS

Of 1,443 records screened, 34 studies were included, with a total of 503 participants. Studies included participants with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 18), osteoarthritis (n = 5), gout (n = 3), psoriatic arthritis (n = 1), lupus (n = 1), posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (n = 1), plantar heel pain (n = 1), Achilles tendonitis (n = 1), and a mixed population (n = 3), who live with foot and ankle disorders. Seven descriptive themes were generated from the thematic synthesis: pain, change in appearance, activity limitations, social isolation, work disruption, financial burden and emotional impact. Descriptive themes were inductively analysed further to construct analytical themes relating to potential outcome domains of importance to patients. Foot or ankle pain was the predominant symptom experienced by patients across all RMDs explored in this review. Based on grading of the evidence, we had moderate confidence that most of the review findings represented the experiences of patients with foot and ankle disorders in RMDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that foot and ankle disorders impact on multiple areas of patients' lives, and patients' experiences are similar regardless of the RMD. This study will inform the development of a core domain set for future foot and ankle research and are also useful for clinicians, helping to focus clinical appointments and measurement of outcomes within clinical practice.

The struggle to stay physically active-A qualitative study exploring experiences of individuals with persistent plantar fasciopathy

BACKGROUND

Plantar fasciopathy is the most common cause of heel pain, and is associated with decreased physical activity level and quality of life. There has been limited research on the experiences of patients with plantar fasciopathy. This study seeks to gain more in-depth understanding and knowledge by exploring the lived experiences of people with persistent plantar fasciopathy.

METHODS

We included 15 participants with longstanding plantar fasciopathy. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clark's reflexive thematic analysis. We used an inductive approach led by a phenomenological theoretical framework.

RESULTS

We identified three core themes and ten sub-themes. The first theme was 'Struggling to stay active' with sub-themes 'Struggling with pain and how to adjust it', ' Finding alternative activities' and 'Longing for the experience of walking'. The second main theme was 'Emotional challenges' with the sub-themes 'Feelings of frustration and self-blame' and 'Worries of weight gain and related consequences'. The third main theme was 'Relations to others' with the sub-themes 'Participation in family and social life', ' Visible in new ways', ' Striving to avoid sick leave' and 'Bothering others'.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants revealed how their heel pain led to inactivity and emotional and social challenges. Pain when walking and fear of aggravating it dominated the participants' lives. They emphasised the importance of finding alternative ways to stay active and avoiding sick leave. Treatment should focus on holistic and individually tailored approaches.

Effect of platelet-rich plasma versus steroid injection in plantar fasciitis: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common orthopaedic problem, with heel pain worsening the quality of life. Although steroid injection is often used if the conservative treatment fails, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection is gaining popularity due to its safety and long-lasting effect. However, the effect of PRP versus steroid injection in PF has not been studied yet in Nepal. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of PRP compared with steroid injection in the treatment of PF.

METHODS

This study was a single-center, hospital-based, open-label, parallel-group randomized clinical trial to compare the effect of PRP injection with steroid injection in plantar fasciitis between August 2020 and March 2022. A total of 90 randomly selected participants aged 18 to 60 years suffering from plantar fasciitis with failed conservative treatment were intervened. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scoring system were used to evaluate functional mobility and pain before and after the intervention for three and six months, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed using a Student's two-sample t-test. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The PRP injection showed a better outcome than the steroid injection in six months follow-up. The mean (± SD) VAS score was significantly decreased in the PRP group (1.97 + 1.13) than in the steroid group (2.71 ± 0.94) with the group difference of -0.73 (95% CI: -1.18 to -0.28) at six months. Similarly, there was a significant increase in the AOFAS scores in the PRP group (86.04 ± 7.45) compared to the steroid group (81.23 ± 9.60) at six months of follow-up with a group difference of 4.80 (95% CI: 1.15 to 8.45). There was also a significant reduction of plantar fascia thickness in the PRP group compared to that of the steroid group (3.53 ± 0.81 versus 4.58 ± 1.02) at six months of follow-up with the group difference of -1.04 (95% CI: -1.44 to -0.65).

CONCLUSION

The PRP injection showed better outcomes than steroid injection in plantar fasciitis treatment over the course of six months. Further research with a larger population and longer follow-up than six months is needed to generalize the findings and their long-term efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04985396. First registered on 02 August 2021. ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04985396 ).

"I feel I have been taken seriously" Women's experience of greater trochanteric pain syndrome treatment-A nested qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Women experiencing greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) report high levels of pain and reduced quality of life. Exploring how they manage GTPS in a daily life context can provide important knowledge about individual coping strategies. Education, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and exercise have good group level evidence for efficacy in clinical trials and are increasingly used in routine care for patients with GTPS. Exploring women's experiences of such treatment may help understand the mechanisms underpinning these positive results and inform treatment strategies. We therefore aimed to explore how women with GTPS experience and manage their daily life, and their experience of the combined treatment of education, ESWT and exercises.

METHODS

This qualitative study was nested within a cohort study based in a hospital outpatient clinic and a physiotherapy clinic in Denmark assessing the combined treatment of education, ESWT and exercises. Data was collected from eleven women using in-person, individual, semi-structured interviews which were audio recorded. Transcripts were coded and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

FINDINGS

Five themes were identified: (1) Daily life was controlled and structured by pain; (2) The condition was acknowledged and taken seriously by treating professionals; (3) The participants´ experiences of the intervention-information is key; (4) Improved capability and autonomy in pain management and (5) The women´s perspectives on improving and expanding the intervention. Learning how to manage pain was experienced as the most important element of the program to the women to be able to minimize pain and manage daily life.

CONCLUSION

Exploration of how women with greater trochanteric pain syndrome experienced and managed daily hip pain, and how they experienced and adapted to treatment are important novel findings that will inform clinical practice. This new knowledge may be used to inform an individualized patient education, treatment and evaluation strategy for women with the painful and debilitating condition of GTPS.

Health-related quality of life is substantially worse in individuals with plantar heel pain

This study aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with and without plantar heel pain (PHP). This was a cross-sectional observational study that compared 50 adult participants with PHP to 25 participants without PHP who were matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). HRQoL measures included a generic measure, the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2), and foot-specific measures, including 100 mm visual analogue scales (VASs) for pain, the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), and the Foot Function Index-Revised (FFI-R). Comparisons in HRQoL between the two groups were conducted using linear regression, with additional adjustment for the comorbidity, osteoarthritis, which was found to be substantially different between the two groups. For generic HRQoL, participants with PHP scored worse in the SF-36v2 physical component summary score (p < 0.001, large effect size), but there was no difference in the mental component summary score (p = 0.690, very small effect size). Specifically, physical function (p < 0.001, very large effect size), role physical (p < 0.001, large effect size) and bodily pain (p < 0.001, large effect size) in the physical component section were worse in those with PHP. For foot-specific HRQoL, participants with PHP also scored worse in the VASs, the FHSQ and the FFI-R (p ≤ 0.005, huge effect sizes for all domains, except FHSQ footwear, which was large effect size, and FFR-R stiffness, activity limitation, and social issues, which were very large effect sizes). After accounting for age, sex, BMI and osteoarthritis, adults with PHP have poorer generic and foot-specific HRQoL.

ICON 2020-International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: A Scoping Review of Psychological and Psychosocial Constructs and Outcome Measures Reported in Tendinopathy Clinical Trials

OBJECTIVE

To identify and describe the psychological and psychosocial constructs and outcome measures used in tendinopathy research.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

LITERATURE SEARCH

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, CINAHL, and APA PsychNet databases on July 10, 2021, for all published studies of tendinopathy populations measuring psychological and psychosocial factors.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies using a clinical diagnosis of tendinopathy or synonyms (eg, jumper's knee or subacromial impingement) with or without imaging confirmation.

DATA SYNTHESIS

We described the volume, nature, distribution, and characteristics of psychological and psychosocial outcomes reported in the tendinopathy field.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine constructs were identified, including 16 psychological and 13 psychosocial constructs. The most frequently-reported constructs were work-related outcomes (32%), quality of life (31%), depression (30%), anxiety (18%), and fear (14%). Outcome measures consisted of validated and nonvalidated questionnaires and 1-item custom questions (including demographics). The number of different outcome measures used to assess an individual construct ranged between 1 (emotional distress) and 11 (quality of life) per construct.

CONCLUSION

There was a large variability in constructs and outcome measures reported in tendinopathy research, which limits conclusions about the relationship between psychological and psychosocial constructs, outcome measures, and tendinopathies. Given the wide range of psychological and psychosocial constructs reported, there is an urgent need to develop a core outcome set in tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2022;52(6):375-388. doi:10.2519/jospt.2022.11005.

Features of Extrinsic Plantar Muscles in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis by Ultrasound Imaging: A Retrospective Case Control Research

The present study aimed to compare by ultrasound imaging (USI) the tibial posterior (TP), medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus muscle in patients with and without plantar fasciitis (PF). A sample of 42 individuals was recruited and divided into two groups: PF and a healthy group. The thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), echointensity and echovariation were assessed in both groups by USI. TP, soleus and MG variables did not report differences (p > 0.05) for thickness and CSA. For the echotexture parameters significant differences were found for MG echointensity (p = 0.002), MG echovariation (p = 0.002) and soleus echointensity (p = 0.012). Non-significant differences (p > 0.05) were reported for soleus echovariation, TP echointensity and TP echovariation variables. The thickness and CSA of the TP, GM and soleus muscle did not show significant differences between individuals with and without PF measured by USI. Muscle quality assessment reported an increase of the MG echointensity and echovariation, as well as a decrease of echointensity of the soleus muscle in the PF group with respect to the healthy group. Therefore, the evaluation of the structure and muscle quality of the extrinsic foot muscles may be beneficial for the diagnosis and monitoring the physical therapy interventions.

Muscle Quality Assessment by Ultrasound Imaging of the Intrinsic Foot Muscles in Individuals with and without Plantar Fasciitis: A Case-Control Study

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to compare the echo intensity (EI) and echovariation (EV) of the intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) between individuals with and without plantar fasciitis (PF), using ultrasound imaging. The secondary objective was to study the intra-rater reliability of the echotexture variables. Methods: A case−control study was conducted with 64 participants, who were divided into the following two groups: A, the PF group (n = 32); B, the healthy group (n = 32). Results: The comparison between the two groups did not identify significant differences (p > 0.05) between the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), quadratus plantae (QP) and abductor hallucis brevis (AHB) variables for the EI and EV. Moreover, excellent intra-rater reliability was reported for the following ultrasound imaging EI variables: ABH (ICC = 0.951), FHB (ICC = 0.949), FDB (ICC = 0.981) and QP (ICC = 0.984). Conclusions: The muscle quality assessment using the EI and EV variables did not identify differences in the FHB, FDB, AHB and QP muscles between individuals with and without PF through USI evaluation. The reliability of all the IFM measurements was reported to be excellent.

Psychological factors associated with foot and ankle pain: a mixed methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

Foot and ankle pain is common, and generally viewed through a biomedical lens rather than applying a biopsychosocial model. The objectives of this review were to evaluate: (1) the psychosocial characteristics of participants with foot/ankle pain compared to participants without foot/ankle pain; (2) the association between psychosocial factors with pain and function in people with foot/ankle pain; and (3) understand the psychosocial factors associated with the lived experience of foot/ankle pain.

METHODS

A mixed methods systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for mixed methods systematic reviews. The databases MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsychInfo, and Scopus were searched. The Mixed Methods Assessment Tool was used to evaluate study quality. A convergent segregated approach was used to synthesise and integrate quantitative and qualitative data.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included, consisting of 13 quantitative, 4 qualitative and 1 mixed methods study. The overall quality of the studies was considered high. Integration of the quantitative and qualitative data were not possible due to the disparate nature of the included studies. A narrative synthesis of the quantitative data revealed that negative emotional and cognitive factors were more common in people with foot/ankle pain compared to those without foot/ankle pain. A significant association was also found between emotional distress with foot pain and foot function in some people with plantar heel pain. In addition, kinesiophobia and pain catastrophising were significantly associated with impaired foot function, and pain catastrophising was significantly associated with first step pain in people with plantar heel pain. The qualitative data revealed emotional impacts, physical challenges, and a loss of self which was individual and unpredictable.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides evidence that negative psychological constructs are greater in participants with foot/ankle pain compared to those without foot/ankle pain, although the cross-sectional nature of the study designs included in this review reduces the certainty of the evidence. These findings indicate that psychological constructs are associated with foot/ankle pain. Further research should evaluate the predictive ability of multidimensional screening tools to identify patients at risk of developing persistent foot/ankle pain.

Medical imaging for plantar heel pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Medical imaging can be used to assist with the diagnosis of plantar heel pain. The aim of this study was to synthesise medical imaging features associated with plantar heel pain.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis conducted searches in MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Embase and the Cochrane Library from inception to 12th February 2021. Peer-reviewed articles of cross-sectional observational studies written in English that compared medical imaging findings in adult participants with plantar heel pain to control participants without plantar heel pain were included. Study quality and risk of bias was assessed using the National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies. Sensitivity analyses were conducted where appropriate to account for studies that used unblinded assessors.

Results

Forty-two studies (2928 participants) were identified and included in analyses. Only 21% of studies were rated ‘good’ on quality assessment. Imaging features associated with plantar heel pain included a thickened plantar fascia (on ultrasound and MRI), abnormalities of the plantar fascia (on ultrasound and MRI), abnormalities of adjacent tissue such as a thickened loaded plantar heel fat pad (on ultrasound), and a plantar calcaneal spur (on x-ray). In addition, there is some evidence from more than one study that there is increased hyperaemia within the fascia (on power Doppler ultrasound) and abnormalities of bone in the calcaneus (increased uptake on technetium-99 m bone scan and bone marrow oedema on MRI).

Conclusions

People with plantar heel pain are more likely to have a thickened plantar fascia, abnormal plantar fascia tissue, a thicker loaded plantar heel fat pad, and a plantar calcaneal spur. In addition, there is some evidence of hyperaemia within the plantar fascia and abnormalities of the calcaneus. Whilst these medical imaging features may aid with diagnosis, additional high-quality studies investigating medical imaging findings for some of these imaging features would be worthwhile to improve the precision of these findings and determine their clinical relevance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13047-021-00507-2.

Management of plantar heel pain in general practice in Australia

BACKGROUND

Studies have described general practitioner (GP) management of plantar heel pain from some countries; however, there is limited information from Australian general practice.

OBJECTIVES

To describe patient and GP characteristics, and management actions for plantar heel pain in Australian general practice.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of data from the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) dataset.

METHODS

Data were summarised using descriptive analysis and robust 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated around point estimates. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of plantar heel pain management.

RESULTS

From 1,568,100 encounters between April 2000 and March 2016, plantar heel pain was managed at 3007 encounters. GPs manage plantar heel pain approximately once every 500 encounters, which extrapolates to 271,100 encounters in 2015-2016. Patient factors independently associated with plantar heel pain encounters included female sex (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17-1.34 cf. males), being aged 45-64 (OR 3.44, 95% CI 2.94-4.01 cf. aged 75+) and patients from a non-English speaking background (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07-1.39). Plantar heel pain was frequently managed using medication (45.1 per 100), with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs the most common (22.8 per 100). GPs also commonly provided counselling/advice/education (32.4 per 100), and referrals for diagnostic imaging (19.1 per 100) and to podiatrists (12.0 per 100).

CONCLUSIONS

Plantar heel pain is a frequently managed foot condition in Australian general practice. GPs use medication, counselling and education, diagnostic imaging and referral to podiatrists for management. Further research is required to understand the drivers of these management actions and whether they are effective.

Management of plantar heel pain: a best practice guide informed by a systematic review, expert clinical reasoning and patient values

Objective

To develop a best practice guide for managing people with plantar heel pain (PHP).

Methods

Mixed-methods design including systematic review, expert interviews and patient survey.

Data sources

Medline, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, trial registries, reference lists and citation tracking. Semi-structured interviews with world experts and a patient survey.

Eligibility criteria

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating any intervention for people with PHP in any language were included subject to strict quality criteria. Trials with a sample size greater than n=38 were considered for proof of efficacy. International experts were interviewed using a semi-structured approach and people with PHP were surveyed online.

Results

Fifty-one eligible trials enrolled 4351 participants, with 9 RCTs suitable to determine proof of efficacy for 10 interventions. Forty people with PHP completed the online survey and 14 experts were interviewed resulting in 7 themes and 38 subthemes. There was good agreement between the systematic review findings and interview data about taping (SMD: 0.47, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.88) and plantar fascia stretching (SMD: 1.21, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.63) for first step pain in the short term. Clinical reasoning advocated combining these interventions with education and footwear advice as the core self-management approach. There was good expert agreement with systematic review findings recommending stepped care management with focused shockwave for first step pain in the short-term (OR: 1.89, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.04), medium-term (SMD 1.31, 95% CI 0.61 to 2.01) and long-term (SMD 1.67, 95% CI 0.88 to 2.45) and radial shockwave for first step pain in the short term (OR: 1.66, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.76) and long term (OR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.96). We found good agreement to ‘step care’ using custom foot orthoses for general pain in the short term (SMD: 0.41, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.74) and medium term (SMD: 0.55, 95% CI 0.09 to 1.02).

Conclusion

Best practice from a mixed-methods study synthesising systematic review with expert opinion and patient feedback suggests core treatment for people with PHP should include taping, stretching and individualised education. Patients who do not optimally improve may be offered shockwave therapy, followed by custom orthoses.

Predictors of response to foot orthoses and corticosteroid injection for plantar heel pain

Background

Foot orthoses and corticosteroid injection are common interventions used for plantar heel pain, however few studies have investigated the variables that predict response to these interventions.

Methods

Baseline variables (age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), sex, education, foot pain, foot function, fear-avoidance beliefs and feelings, foot posture, weightbearing ankle dorsiflexion, plantar fascia thickness, and treatment preference) from a randomised trial in which participants received either foot orthoses or corticosteroid injection were used to predict change in the Foot Health Status Questionnaire foot pain and foot function subscales, and first-step pain measured using a visual analogue scale. Multivariable linear regression models were generated for different dependent variables (i.e. foot pain, foot function and first-step pain), for each intervention (i.e. foot orthoses and corticosteroid injection), and at different timepoints (i.e. weeks 4 and 12).

Results

For foot orthoses at week 4, greater ankle dorsiflexion with the knee extended predicted reduction in foot pain (adjusted R² = 0.16, p = 0.034), and lower fear-avoidance beliefs and feelings predicted improvement in foot function (adjusted R² = 0.43, p = 0.001). At week 12, lower BMI predicted reduction in foot pain (adjusted R² = 0.33, p < 0.001), improvement in foot function (adjusted R² = 0.37, p < 0.001) and reduction in first-step pain (adjusted R² 0.19, p = 0.011). For corticosteroid injection at week 4, there were no significant predictors for change in foot pain or foot function. At week 12, less weightbearing hours predicted reduction in foot pain (adjusted R² = 0.25, p = 0.004) and lower baseline foot pain predicted improvement in foot function (adjusted R² = 0.38, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

People with plantar heel pain who use foot orthoses experience reduced foot pain if they have greater ankle dorsiflexion and lower BMI, while they experience improved foot function if they have lower fear-avoidance beliefs and lower BMI. People who receive a corticosteroid injection experience reduced foot pain if they weightbear for fewer hours, while they experience improved foot function if they have less baseline foot pain.

Conservative management of acute lower limb tendinopathies: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Most knowledge regarding conservative management for lower limb tendinopathy (LLT) is for persistent symptoms, with less known about conservative management of acute LLT. Sub-optimal management of acute LLT is detrimental in many regards, not least the likely conversion to persistent symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

To synthesise existing literature on conservative management of acute LLTs.

DESIGN

Systematic review of relevant literature (PROSPERO [ID: CRD42018117882]).

METHOD

A search was made of multiple databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL and EMBASE) using relevant search terms. Titles, abstracts and then full texts were filtered to find articles that met the strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. Searching, data extraction and quality assessment, using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation, were done independently by two authors. To understand how the interventions impacted the duration of reported symptoms, results were split into three time points: short-term (<4 weeks), medium-term (4-12 weeks) and long-term (>12 weeks).

RESULTS

Thirteen studies (n = 534) met the criteria for inclusion. There was very low level of certainty for the effectiveness of interventions at short-term, medium-term and long-term follow ups. However, there were large effects seen across a number of different treatments on pain intensity and disability in LLTs.

CONCLUSIONS

This review demonstrates that limited evidence currently exists to guide the management of acute LLT, and the quality of the existing evidence is collectively low. These findings inform the discussion of different treatment options with patients in a shared decision-making process to empower and enable the patient.

Effect of a home-based stretching exercise on multi-segmental foot motion and clinical outcomes in patients with plantar fasciitis

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a home-based stretching exercise on multi-segmental foot motion and clinical outcomes in patients with plantar fasciitis (PF).

METHODS

A single group pre- and post-test design was conducted for this study in 20 patients with PF. They had the self home-based stretching program of calf muscle for 3 weeks. They were assessed for the multi-segmental foot motion (degree) and clinical outcomes which included the plantar fascia pain/disability scale (PFPS) (score), muscle length (degree) of gastrocnemius and soleus, and muscle strength (kg) of ankle dorsiflexors, plantarflexors, invertors, evertors, great toe flexors, and lesser toe flexors.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in multi-segmental foot motion and muscle length after exercise. Significant improvements (p<0.05) were found in PFPS and muscle strength of ankle plantarflexors, invertors, evertors, great toe flexors, and lesser toe flexors after exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

A home-based stretching exercise was an effective program for reducing pain, enhancing muscle strength for both extrinsic and intrinsic foot muscles in patients with PF.