Chronic plantar heel pain: treatment with a short leg walking cast.
The efficacy of a short leg walking cast in the treatment of chronic plantar heel pain was assessed for 32 patients with 37 involved extremities treated over a 2-year period. All patients had failed numerous other treatment modalities and had been symptomatic for an average of 1 year. Long-term follow-up for 24 patients with 28 involved extremities revealed complete resolution of pain for 7 extremities (25%), improvement for 17 (61%), and no improvement for 4 (14%). Ten (42%) patients were completely satisfied with cast treatment, 3 (12%) were satisfied with reservations, and 11 (46%) were dissatisfied. Casting appears to be a reasonable option for patients with recalcitrant heel pain and should be offered before surgical intervention.
Tisdel
C L
CL
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
Harper
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002370:Casts, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome