Authors:
P Rockett, A Souzo, P Santos
Institution:
Ortosom, Porto Alegre; Cortrel, Rio de Janeiro; Orthomaster, São Paulo, Brazil
Aim:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of extracarporeal shock wave therapy for the treatment of plantar foscUtis in three Brazilian Orthopaedics Clinics.
Material and Methods:
In o multi-center, retrospective study, the effect of shockwave therapy was investigated in 103 patients with plantar fasciitis treated in the period of 39 months from March 2001 to May 2004. There were 55 women and 48 men with an average age of 56 (range, 31-90) years.
The criteria for inclusion were at least three months of unsuccessful consen'ative therapy or six months of pain. Criteria for exclusion were inflammatory arthritis, previous corticosteroid injection, acute infection, neurological abnormality, gout, malignant diseases, blood coagulation disorders and ruptures of the plantar fascia.
Each patient was treated with 1200 - 1500 impulses of shock wave, a 20 mm focus depth, and with an energy flux density of no more than 0.14 mi/mm after local anaesthesia or ankle block. One treatment was performed on 96 patients, 6 patients underwent a second treatment and 1 patient underwent a third treatment.
The subjects were evaluated by means of a clinical evaluation according to Roles and Maudsley score, subjective outcome on Visual Analogue Scale QVAS) analysis, 45, 90 and 180 days after the end of the therapy.
Results:
the study showed the efficacy and safety of ESWT were excellent in 36.9%, good in 32%, acceptable in 9.7%, and poor in 21.4%, 180 days after ESWT.

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