title: Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciopathy in adults: a case series.
abstract: Plantar fasciopathy (PF) is a common source of pain and disability that is often refractory to conservative management. There are no uniformly effective standard-of-care treatments for chronic recalcitrant PF. Corticosteroid injection is considered a viable treatment option when traditional therapies fail, but is limited by suboptimal long-term efficacy and potential adverse effects. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an emerging injection-based treatment for various chronic degenerative soft-tissue diseases. It is postulated to promote native tissue regeneration; however, consistent scientific evidence remains lacking. A prospective case series, including 24 consecutive PF cases, was conducted to report patient-rated pain and disability following PRP injection. Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores were the primary clinical outcome measure. Foot-Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (Foot-SANE) scores, Short Form-12 Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2) questionnaires, and PRP treatment satisfaction surveys were secondary outcome measures. Statistical analysis compared baseline and 32 weeks post-injection time points. Patients receiving PRP injection reported clinically and statistically significant improvement in all outcome measures during this interval. There were no serious adverse events associated with treatment. PRP is considered a safe therapeutic option with the ability to decrease heel pain in patients with chronic PF refractory to appropriate conservative management.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Sijian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D036981:Fasciitis, Plantar / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: heel pain; plantar fasciopathy; platelet-rich plasma; tendinopathy