The efficacy of ultrasound for plantar fasciitis, a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound (US) has been widely used in the treatment of plantar fasciitis (PF); however, its therapeutic effect remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasound (US) on pain intensity and foot function in patients with PF. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and other databases were systematically searched from inception to July 2024. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: = 0.03), while the American Orthopaedic Foot showed no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Whether applied alone or in combination with CPE, US cannot reduce pain intensity in patients with PF. However, US in combination with CPE may improve foot function.