The Efficacy of Combining Stretching Exercises along with a Non-Steroid Medication Versus a Local Steroid Injection for Treating Plantar Fasciitis

Abstract

   A study comparing the effectiveness of plantar fascia injection with steroid medication to combination therapy, which entails using non-steroid medication together with stretching exercises for the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, was carried out between January 2020 and January 2021 There were 56 individuals in this prospective study; 10 were excluded because of the exclusion criteria and 6 were abandoned because they did not attend follow-up exams, leaving 40 patients who met the study's eligibility requirements. The study's participants' patients were divided into two categories, A and B , Participants in category A (non-steroid drug plus stretching activities) and category B (injection one) underwent pain assessments prior to therapy, at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks using a 10 cm visual analogue scale. According to the study's findings, category B pain significantly decreased at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment began compared to category A pain (p value 0.05); however, at 12 weeks, both categories showed good pain relief and showed no significant difference between the two categories (p value>0.05), even though category A's mean pain value was lower. Conclusion:  Although it takes a little bit longer time, combining stretching exercises with non-steroid therapy offers a simple, non-invasive way to treat plantar fasciitis, especially when local steroid injection is contraindicated or the patient rejects the procedure. Injection of the plantar fascia with steroid drugs provides a rapid and effective way to treat fasciitis in the first 12 weeks after beginning treatment, but injecting steroid treatment into the plantar fascia may have side effects, which can be avoided.

Keywords: efficacy; combining stretching exercises; non-steroid medication; injection; treating; plantar fasciitis.