title: A comparative study of efficacy of oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents and locally injectable steroid for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and locally injectable steroid (methylprednisolone) in the treatment of plantar fasciitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty subjects with unilateral plantar fasciitis were recruited and randomly allocated to two study groups. Group I (NSAIDs group) (n=60) received oral tablet diclofenac (50 mg) and paracetamol (500 mg) twice a day (BD) along with tab. ranitidine 150 mg BD. Group II (injectable steroid group) (n=60) received injection of 1 ml of methylprednisolone (Depomedrol) (40 mg) and 2 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine into the inflammed plantar fascia. Pain intensity was measured using 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS). Subjects were evaluated clinically before, and 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks (2 months) after the initiation of treatment in both the groups. The outcome was assessed in terms of VAS score and recurrence of the heel pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  "Z" test and Chi-square test were used wherever applicable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain relief was significant after steroid injection (P<0.001) and the improvement was sustained. The recurrence of heel pain was significantly higher in the oral NSAIDS group (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local injection of steroid is more effective in the treatment of plantar fasciitis than oral NSAIDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Chaitali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acharya
keywords: Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs; plantar fasciitis; steroid injection; visual analog scale