HUEY-WEN LIANGTYNG-GUEY WANGWEN-SHIANG CHENHou S.-M.2020-04-082020-04-0820070009-921Xhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34447316683&doi=10.1097%2fBLO.0b013e31804ffd19&partnerID=40&md5=a26fcf9f43589fe663691d3de4da4013https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/483644Increased plantar fascia thickness is common with chronic plantar fasciitis, and reduction of the thickness after extracorporeal shock wave therapy or steroid injection has been reported. We hypothesized a decrease of plantar fascia thickness was associated with pain reduction after extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Fifty-three eligible patients with 78 symptomatic feet were randomly treated with piezoelectric-type extracorporeal shock wave therapy of two intensity levels (0.12 and 0.56 mJ/mm). Two thousand shock waves for three consecutive sessions were applied at weekly intervals. A visual analog scale for pain, the Foot Function Index, the Short Form-36 Health Survey, and ultrasonographic measurement of plantar fascia thickness were evaluated at baseline and 3 and 6 months after treatment. We analyzed the association between pain level and plantar fascia thickness with generalized estimating equation analysis and adjusted for demographic and treatment-related variables. Patients with thinner plantar fascia experienced less pain after treatment; high-intensity treatment and regular exercise were associated with lower pain level. The overall success rates were 63% and 60% at the 3- and 6-month followups. High- and low-intensity treatments were associated with similar improvements in pain and function. Receiving high-intensity treatment, although associated with less pain at followup, did not provide a higher success rate. ? 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.[SDGs]SDG3adult; article; clinical trial; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; demography; disease association; exercise intensity; extracorporeal lithotripsy; female; follow up; foot; foot pain; function test; human; human experiment; major clinical study; male; outcome assessment; piezoelectricity; plantar fasciitis; prediction; priority journal; shock wave; Short Form 36; treatment duration; treatment response; visual analog scale; aged; chronic disease; fascia; pain assessment; pathophysiology; prospective study; radiation; treatment outcome; Aged; Chronic Disease; Fascia; Fasciitis, Plantar; Female; High-Energy Shock Waves; Humans; Male; Pain Measurement; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcomejournal article10.1097/BLO.0b013e31804ffd19173537982-s2.0-34447316683