Role of platelet rich plasma in the treatment of plantar fasciitis

Abstract

Introduction: Plantar fasciitis is a commonly occurring foot complaint that seriously affects the patient’s daily activities and quality of life. Plantar fasciitis is characterised by pain in the heel, which is aggravated on weight bearing after prolonged rest. Conservative noninvasive lines of treatment are numerous, among which platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been demonstrated to be helpful in managing plantar fasciitis. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma as a form of interventional pain management for plantar fasciitis. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 40 patients suffering from chronic Plantar Fasciitis who did not respond to conservative therapies including physical therapy, NSAIDs and heel cushions for a longer period. The patients were selected from the outpatient department of the Orthopaedics SKIMS medical College, Bemina Srinagar. All enrolled patients were treated with single dose of local injection of 3 mL autologous PRP. Assessment was done using visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity. Functionally, foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM) was used at baseline and after injection. Results: The mean VAS score before the procedure was 7.21± 2.33 and after procedure were 2.96 ± 0.54. The mean difference of 4.24 was statistically significant. There was a significant raise of mean FAAM score 29.37 after 24 weeks of treatment and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: The present study observed by follow-up of PRP treated plantar fasciitis patients at intervals, revealed that this procedure is safe, efficient and effective for long term pain reduction along with reduction in thickness of plantar fascia.