Author:
Dr K. Raveendran
Institution:
Hospital Fotimah, lpoh, Perak, Malaysia
A prospective non-randomized clinical study on the effectiveness of shockwaves for painful heel syndrome was done on 126 patients. there were 57 males and 69 females. There were 22 cases with bilateral treatments making a total of 148 treatments. Each heel had 800 impulses. All patients presented with plantar tenderness and heel pain.
89 (71%) patients were examined or contacted at a minimum 6 months follow up. 74% had no pain or minimal pain. 3 patients said they were worse off after the treatment.
18 patients had no improvement and had a second treatment. None of the patients had more than 2 treatments.
No systemic or local complications were noted.
Shockwave therapy has been the most effective modality for treatment of the recalcitrant painful heel syndrome in Malaysian patients compared to physiotherapy and steroid infiltration used prior to the advent of shockwave therapy.

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