Plantar fasciitis: Outcome evaluation of plantar fasciitis treated with PRP against steroid injection

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain which seems difficult to treat in its most chronic and severe forms. Earlier treatments, including orthoses, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroid injections are paucity of supportive clinical evidence but carry the potential for serious complication and permanent disability. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been demonstrated to be helpful in managing chronic severe plantar fasciitis when other techniques have failed. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and preliminary clinical results of platelet-rich plasma injections for treating chronic plantar fasciitis. 163 consecutive patients with chronic plantar fasciitis receiving injections of PRP and 158 patients for steroid injections into the plantar fascia were assessed 12 months after the procedure. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain was used to evaluate the clinical results. According to criteria VAS score, at 12 months of follow-up, results were rated as excellent in all PRP injected patients, good and poor in steroid injected patients. In PRP injection, VAS (mean) for pain was significantly decreased from 8.6 before treatment to 0.3 at the last follow-up. PRP injection has safety and efficiency as treatment for plantar fasciitis with no side effects and complications.