Effect of Radiofrequency Treatment in Plantar Fasciitis Patients

Overview

In adults, chronic plantar fasciitis stands as the predominant cause of persistent heel discomfort.Usually, individuals depict a pulsating pain concentrated around the point of origin of the plantar fascia on the calcaneus. Numerous randomized and non-randomized studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of radiofrequency as a treatment modality for chronic plantar heel pain.In this study, our objective is to assess the impact of radiofrequency modalities applied to the posterior tibial nerve and/or the calcaneal spur area, guided by ultrasound, on patient satisfaction, pain scores, and functional improvement in individuals with chronic plantar fasciitis

Chronic plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of chronic heel pain in adults. Typically, patients describe a throbbing pain localized around the origin of the plantar fascia on the calcaneus. This pain is often most severe when taking the first steps in the morning or rising after sitting. It typically improves with activity but worsens with prolonged activity. The primary aim of heel spur treatment is to alleviate pain and restore function. Surgical interventions are recommended for chronic plantar heel pain resistant to conservative options. However, surgery may be associated with prolonged recovery, and in one study, superiority over conservative treatment was not demonstrated. Radiofrequency has been shown to be an effective treatment method for chronic plantar heel pain in many randomized and non-randomized studies. In many studies, most of these procedures are applied blindly based on anatomical landmarks, with attention drawn in many studies to applications targeting the terminal branches of the posterior tibial nerve or the spur region. Only a few studies have been performed using fluoroscopy and ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound guidance offers several advantages over fluoroscopy and blind landmark techniques, especially in interventional procedures targeting neural and soft tissues. These advantages include the ability to visualize vascular and neural structures, very low risk of vascular-neural injury, absence of radiation exposure, and superiority in cases of anatomical variation. However, a common point in many studies related to plantar fasciitis is that applications are either directed to the spur area or to neural structures leading to the heel region. In this study, we aim to compare the effects of radiofrequency modalities applied to the posterior tibial nerve and/or calcaneal spur area under ultrasound guidance on patient satisfaction, pain scores, and patient functionality in cases of chronic plantar fasciitis (heel spur).