Effectiveness of Ultrasonography-Guided Steroid Injection for Treating Plantar Fasciitis – A Prospective Study

Abstract

Background: Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain, often affecting middle aged individuals and leading to significant functional limitation. Ultrasound-guided steroid injections have emerged as an effective treatment modality, offering improved accuracy and outcomes. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided steroid injection in patients with plantar fasciitis by assessing changes in pain, plantar fascia thickness, and heel pad thickness. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on 147 patients with plantar fasciitis at a tertiary care centre from March 2024 to December 2025. Patients received an ultrasound-guided injection of triamcinolone with lignocaine. Clinical assessment included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, and ultrasonographic measurement of plantar fascia and heel pad thickness at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean age was 43.36 ± 5.96 years, with slight male predominance (54.4%). There was a significant reduction in plantar fascia thickness from 5.52 mm to 4.96 mm (p<0.001) and heel pad thickness from 1.95 mm to 1.80 mm (p<0.001). VAS scores decreased significantly from 7.99 to approximately 4 at follow-up (p<0.001), indicating substantial pain relief. Heel pad thickness reduction showed a significant negative correlation with pain improvement (r = -0.394, p<0.001). Complications were minimal, with heel pad atrophy observed in 2.7% of patients. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided steroid injection is an effective and safe treatment for plantar fasciitis, providing significant pain relief and structural improvement with a low complication rate.