ReviewCureus2022
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Versus Ultrasound Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Cureus, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- The efficacy of ultrasound for plantar fasciitis, a systematic review and meta-analysis.Annals of medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of conservative treatment strategies for iliotibial band syndrome on pain and function in runners: a systematic review.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) in plantar fasciitis: a 12 months randomised controlled trial in a Tunisian rehabilitation department.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- Effect of superficial adipose tissue mitochondrial and cellular functionality induced by extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT).Lasers in medical science · 2024Trial
- A Narrative Review of Shockwave Therapy in Plantar Fasciitis.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Review
- Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Pain Management - an In-Depth Narrative Review.Orthopedic reviews · 2026Article
- Immediate effects of extracorporeal radial pressure wave therapy on dystonia, static plantar pressure distribution, and balance in patients with Parkinson's disease.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- Review
- Review
- The 'placebo effect' in the conservative treatment of plantar fasciitis: a systematic review and meta-analyses.EFORT open reviews · 2023Article
- Drug Delivery Approaches to Improve Tendon Healing.Tissue engineering. Part B, Reviews · 2023Review
- On Putting an End to the Backlash Against Electrophysical Agents.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2023Article
- Plantar Fasciitis: An Updated Review.Journal of medical ultrasoundReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) versus ultrasound therapy (UST) in plantar fasciitis. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. An electronic search identifying studies comparing ESWT and UST for plantar fasciitis was conducted. Primary outcomes were morning and activity pain, functional impairment, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale score. Secondary outcomes included the fascial thickness, primary efficacy success rate, activity limitations, pain intensity, and satisfaction. Seven studies enrolling 369 patients were identified. No significant difference was found between ESWT and UST for functional impairment (mean difference [MD] = -2.90, P = 0.22), AOFAS scale score (MD = 35, P = 0.20), and pain in the first steps in the morning (MD = -4.72, P = 0.39). However, there was a significant improvement in pain during activity for the ESWT group (MD = -1.36, P = 0.005). For secondary outcomes, ESWT had improved results in terms of primary efficacy success rate, activity limitations, and patient satisfaction. The reduction of plantar fascia thickness showed no significant difference. Pain intensity after treatment had varied results amongst included studies. In conclusion, ESWT is superior to UST for plantar fasciitis as it improves pain activity and intensity, primary efficacy success rate, and activity limitations.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.