Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for plantar fasciitis: randomised controlled multicentre trial.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy compared with placebo in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.
Design: Randomised, blinded, multicentre trial with parallel group design.
Setting: Nine hospitals and one outpatient clinic in Germany.
Participants: 272 patients with chronic plantar fasciitis recalcitrant to conservative therapy for at least six months: 135 patients were allocated extracorporeal shock wave therapy and 137 were allocated placebo.
Main Outcome Measures: Primary end point was the success rate 12 weeks after intervention based on the Roles and Maudsley score. Secondary end points encompassed subjective pain ratings and walking ability up to a year after the last intervention.
Results: The primary end point could be assessed in 94% (n=256) of patients. The success rate 12 weeks after intervention was 34% (n=43) in the extracorporeal shock wave therapy group and 30% (n=39) in the placebo group (95% confidence interval - 8.0% to 15.1%). No difference was found in the secondary end points. Few side effects were reported.
Conclusions: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is ineffective in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.