THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF COCKTAIL VS PROLOTHERAPY INJECTION IN CHRONIC PLANTAR FASCIITIS, A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED RANDOMIZED CLINICAL STUDY

Introduction:- Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. It is a self-limiting condition. If causative factors are not addressed properly, it becomes chronic plantar fasciitis.

Objectives:- The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 15 % hypertonic dextrose (treatment group) in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis through comparison with a cocktail group (control group).

Design:- In this prospective controlled, randomized clinical study at N.S.C.B. Medical College Jabalpur, from 1 January 2020 to 31 September 2021. The statistical test used in this study isthe chi-square test and independent students t-test.A totalof 41 patients were taken intothe study. Patients were divided into two groups, In the Prolotherapy group (treating group) (n=18), a single shot of 15% Hypertonic dextrose injection was administered (1.2 ml of 50 % hypertonic dextrose, 1.8 ml distilled water and 1 ml of 2% lignocaine mixture)and the cocktail group (control group) (n=23) single shot of cocktail was given (1ml 40mg local methylprednisolone mixed with 1 ml distilled water and with 1 ml 2% lignocaine). During a 24-week follow-up period, pain intensity was measured using the visual analoguescale and American orthopaedics foot and ankle score, the measurements were undertaken before treatment and post-treatment weeks 4 and 12 and 24.

Result:- In this study, both treatments were significantly effective in plantar fasciitis treatment for up to the 12^th week. However the cocktail group (control group) was found to have a significantly better result at both the 4^th week (AOFAS 93.17±3.33, VAS 1.65±.49 vs AOFAS 71.94±5.46, VAS 4.54±.71) and 12^th week (AOFAS 90.43±2.86, VAS 1.91±.29 vs AOFAS 76.78±4.12, VAS 3.94±.64), but significantly better even up to 24^th weeks (AOFAS 86.39±4.20, VAS 2.35±.71vs AOFAS 67.22±4.19, VAS 5.00±.34), (p-value <.001) in term of pain intensity and disability as compared to prolotherapy group (treating group).

Conclusion:- This study showed a favourable outcome towards the cocktail injectionin terms of VAS and AOFAS score as compared to prolotherapy injection.