Comparison of the Effectiveness of USG and Palpation Guidance Steroid Injection in Patients With Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis, often described as overloading of the plantar fascia, is the most common cause of heel pain in adults. It is characterized by a sharp pain along the medial aspect of the heel, which is worse with the first step taken in the morning or at the beginning of an activity and decreases as the person warms up. The etiology of plantar fasciitis is multifactorial and not well understood. Poor biomechanics and changes in the structure of the foot can lead to repeated micro-trauma at the beginning of the plantar fascia, causing inflammation and degeneration. Plantar fasciitis is more common in sedentary individuals and athletes and those participating in running sports. Other risk factors associated with plantar fasciitis include reduced ankle dorsiflexion, increased body mass index (BMI), and work-related weight loss activities. Current treatments for plantar fasciitis, such as plantar fascia stretching exercises, strapping, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), arch braces, and heel pads are mainly aimed at reducing inflammation. Corticosteroid injections are usually reserved for refractory plantar fasciitis after conservative noninvasive attempts have failed. It has been shown to effectively reduce heel pain in patients with plantar fasciitis. The strong anti-inflammatory effect of corticosteroids can speed up the process of pain relief. In our study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of USG and palpation guidance blind steroid injection in patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.