Minimally invasive surgical treatments versus non-surgical treatments or placebo for plantar fasciopathy: A systematic review

Stefan Møller*, Jonas Ammundsen Ipsen, Henriette Jahn Aunass, Per Aagaard, Bjarke Viberg, Ane Simony, Henrik Riel

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Due to advances in minimally invasive surgical treatments (MIST), this systematic review with a narrative synthesis aimed to investigate the effectiveness of MIST in improving pain compared with non-surgical treatment or placebo in patients with plantar fasciopathy (PF). Methods: We systematically searched relevant databases for peer-reviewed studies comparing MIST to non-surgical treatments or placebo. Results: Eight studies were included. The results demonstrated statistically significant superiority in pain reduction for percutaneous needle treatments compared to non-surgical treatments or placebo in five studies. One study compared endoscopic plantar fascia release to exercise and corticosteroid injections and found a statistically significant superiority of endoscopic plantar fascia release. Conclusions: This systematic review found promising effects of needle treatments to reduce pain among patients with PF. Endoscopic plantar fascia release was superior to the comparator in one of three studies. High risks of bias and methodological heterogeneity limit the strength of the available evidence.

Original languageEnglish
JournalFoot and Ankle Surgery
ISSN1268-7731
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 1 May 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors

Keywords

  • Minimally invasive treatment
  • Non-surgical treatment
  • Plantar fasciopathy
  • Plantar heel pain

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Minimally invasive surgical treatments versus non-surgical treatments or placebo for plantar fasciopathy: A systematic review'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this