Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: A Comparison of the Analgesic Efficacies of Ultrasound and Shock Wave Therapy in the Patients With Calcaneal Spur
Brief Summary:
Heel spur is a troublesome disorder. Its formation is accompanied by pain in the area of heel and it makes walking limited or even impossible.
The aim of the study is to analyze analgesic efficacy of ultrasound and shock wave therapy in patients with heel spur.
The study included 52 patients of both sexes, aged 38-86 (average 57.39) with plantar heel spur confirmed radiographically. The patients were randomly divided into two groups;in Group 1 the patients underwent ultrasound procedure (10 treatments)and in Group 2 - radial shock wave procedure(6 treatments). The researchers assessed pain three times (prior to the therapy, after the first and then the second week of treatment). In order to do this they used a modified form of the Laitinen pain indicators questionnaire (results expressed in points) and VAS - visual analogue scale (results given in milimeters). The results were statistically analyzed. In the studied periods of time a decrease in pain was observed (both in the Laitinen questionnaire and in the VAS scale). The most rapid change was noted in both the groups after the first week of treatment. Ultrasound and shock wave therapies show a comparably significant analgesic efficacy in patients with heel spur. Shock wave therapy has an advantage over ultrasound therapy. A smaller number of procedures is required to obtain comparable results, which makes the therapy less expensive. No side effects were observed during and after the treatment.