To detect the value of ultrasound-guided steroids injection for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

Thirty-eight physical therapy ineffective plantar fasciitis patients were enrolled in this study, and randomly divided into ultrasound-guided and palpation-guided groups. Pain intensity was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) and plantar fasciitis were evaluated by high frequency ultrasound including assessment of the thickness before injection and at 4 weeks, 12 weeks post injection.

Thirty-eight patients who received either ultrasound guided or palpation-guided injection had significantly lower visual analog scale scores and lower plantar fascia thickness (both P0.05; (4.56±0.25)?mm vs (4.72±0.38)?mm, P>0.05]. However, the ultrasound guided group had lower mean visual analog scale score (1.47±0.77 vs 2.37±0.68, P