Session Information
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2019
Session Title: Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Case Report
Session Time: 11:15am-12:45pm
Location: Research Hub - Kiosk 2
Disclosures: David Robinson, MD: No disclosure data submitted.
Case Description: 47 runners with injuries of the foot and/or ankle treated with radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT). All runners were also recommended formal physical therapy or to continue their home exercise program. Functional outcome measures were collected at treatment initiation, completion, and clinical follow-up visits. The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles Questionnaire (VISA-A) was used for Achilles tendinopathy. The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) with sport sub-scale was used to monitor plantar fasciopathy and posterior tibialis tendinopathy.
Setting: Outpatient sports medicine clinic.
Patient: Case mix was focused on unilateral injuries including 23 Achilles tendinopathy (10 insertional and 13 mid-portion), 17 plantar fasciopathy, and 7 tibialis posterior tendinopathy.
Assessment/Results: Minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in VISA-A scores (value = 6.5 for insertional and 10 for mid-portion) was achieved in 80% of runners with insertional and 85% of runners with mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy. FAAM ADL (value = 8) and sporting (value = 9) MCID was met in 53% and 71% of runners with plantar fasciopathy. FAAM ADL and sporting MCID was met in 86% and 100% of runners with tibialis posterior tendinopathy. No adverse events were observed.
Discussion: These results add to the limited literature on use of ESWT to improve function in athletes with distal lower extremity injuries using radial shockwave. A majority of runners met clinical benefits during treatment, notable as most runners were able to continue to participate in sport. No runner had a recognized complication, suggesting sport participation may continue as tolerated while undergoing treatment.
Conclusion: ESWT is a safe and effective treatment that may be considered for standard of care in treatment of foot and ankle conditions in runners. Functional outcomes were improved and athletes are able to participate in sport while undergoing treatment.
Level of Evidence: Level IV
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Robinson D, Mitchkash MG, Tenforde A. Efficacy of Shockwave Therapy on Functional Outcome Measures in Runners with Injuries of the Foot and Ankle: A Case Series [abstract]. PM R. 2019; 11(S2)(suppl 2). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/efficacy-of-shockwave-therapy-on-functional-outcome-measures-in-runners-with-injuries-of-the-foot-and-ankle-a-case-series/. Accessed May 14, 2025.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/efficacy-of-shockwave-therapy-on-functional-outcome-measures-in-runners-with-injuries-of-the-foot-and-ankle-a-case-series/