Plantar fasciitis – to jab or to support? A systematic review of the current best evidence

Figures & data

Figure 1 Literature selection process.

Abbreviation: RCT, randomized controlled trial.

Table 1 Included and excluded randomized controlled trials

Article	Randomization technique	Included/excluded
Lee and Ahmad^Citation31	Computer generated	Included
Roos et al^Citation6	Randomly ordered envelopes within a box	Included
Landorf et al^Citation9	Computer generated	Included
Porter and Shadbolt^Citation23	Envelopes	Included
Dimou et al^Citation20	Selection of a slip of randomly collated paper labeled either group 1 or group 2	Included
Baldassin et al^Citation32	Opaque sealed envelopes	Included
Lynch et al^Citation8	NR	Excluded
Martin et al^Citation11	NR	Excluded
Pfeffer et al^Citation17	NR	Excluded
Turlik et al^Citation19	NR	Excluded
Kalaci et al^Citation33	Consecutive allocation	Excluded
Mulherin and Price^Citation34	Consecutive allocation	Excluded
Yucel et al^Citation35	NR	Excluded

Abbreviation: NR, not reported.

Table 2 Outcome measures – psychometric properties

Article	Outcome measures	Validity and reliability
Baldassin et al^Citation32	VAS (modified pain scale from the FFI)	Validity and/or reliability reported
	VAS (palpation at medical calcaneal tuberosity)	Validity and/or reliability not reported
Lee and Ahmad^Citation31	VAS	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation29]
	Tenderness Threshold	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation30]
Roos et al^Citation6	Foot and ankle outcome score	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation6]
Landorf et al^Citation9	The Foot Health Status Questionnaire	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation31]
Porter and Shadbolt^Citation23	VAS	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation29]
	Tenderness Threshold	Validity and/or reliability reported [^Citation30]
Dimou et al^Citation20	Numeric pain rating scale 101 (NRS-101)	Validity and/or reliability documented
	First step pain scale	Validity and/or reliability not reported
	“Effect of heel pain on 3 different activities form”	Validity and/or reliability not reported

Abbreviations: FFI, Foot Function Index; VAS, visual analog scale.

Table 3 Within-group change from baseline to follow-up

Study	Intervention (CFO or CSI)		Comparator 1		Comparator 2
	Pain	Function	Pain	Function	Pain	Function
Baldassin et al^Citation32	↓	↑	↓	↑
Roos et al^Citation6	↓	↑	↓	↑	↓	↑
Landorf et al^Citation9	↓	↑	↓	↑	↓	↑
Dimou et al^Citation20,Table Footnote*	↓	DNR	↓	DNR
Porter and Shadbolt^Citation23	↓	DNR	↓	DNR	↓	DNR
Lee and Ahmad^Citation31,Table Footnote*	↓	DNR	↓	DNR

Notes:

* Studies which had only 2 groups.

Abbreviations: DNR, did not report; CFO, customized functional foot orthoses; CSI, corticosteroid injections.

Table

Reference	Random allocation	Concealed allocation	The groups similar at baseline	Blinding of subjects	Blinding of the therapist	Blinding of the assessor	Dropout rate ≤ 15%	Intention to treat	Between group statistics reported	Reported a measure of variability	Total score out of 10
Baldassin et al^Citation32	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	8
Lee and Ahmad^Citation31	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	6
Roos et al^Citation6	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	8
Landorf et al^Citation7	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	8
Porter and Shadbolt^Citation23	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	6
Dimou et al^Citation20	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	8

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