Background: The aim of this study was to compare corticosteroid injection and corticosteroid injection with needle release (Pie-crusting) method in the treatment of plantar fasciitis in patients with heel pain.
Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial. The study population included patients with heel pain who had referred to a teaching center with plantar fasciitis for treatment during the years 2020-2019. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: corticosteroid injection and corticosteroid injection plus Pie-crusting method. The patients were visited again in the third (T1), sixth (T2), twelfth (T3) and twenty-fourth (T4) weeks post treatment, and the severity of pain and ankle and foot score (AOFAS) were determined at each visit. The data of this study were analyzed with SPSSv.24 software.
Results: 89 patients (46 in steroid injection group and 43 in "pie-crusting" group) were examined. Patients in the two groups were similar in terms of age, sex and body mass index. The two groups showed a significant difference in terms of VAS of pain only in the T4. The AOFAS in the T2 (p=0.039), in the T3 (p>0.001), in the T4 (p>0.001) statistically significant differences were reported. Comparing the angle of inclination of the calcaneus, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the T4.
Conclusion: The results of this research showed good results in use of combination of corticosteroid therapy and "pie-crusting surgery" for plantar fasciitis.