Both carbon fiber, polyethylene shoe insoles may improve treatment of plantar fasciitis
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Key takeaways:
- Results showed a significant trend of improvement in pain intensity and interference scores for each insole group.
- However, carbon fiber insoles and polyethylene insoles were associated with the greatest improvements.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Data showed carbon fiber insoles and polyethylene shoe insoles were associated with improved patient-reported pain scores in patients with plantar fasciitis.
“Carbon fiber and [polyethylene] PE [insoles] seem to have positive trends in pain intensity and pain interference, as well,” Atta Taseh, MD, said in his presentation at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.
Taseh and colleagues randomly assigned 45 patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis at Massachusetts General Hospital between April 2022 and August 2023 to receive a carbon fiber insole (n=14), a polyethylene insole (n=14) or a polyurethane insole (n=17). To assess the effectiveness of the insole materials, researchers collected Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain intensity scores as the primary outcome and pain interference scores, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and VAS pain score as secondary outcomes at baseline and 2, 6 and 12 weeks after start of insole use.
"We did mixed effect analysis and if we found any significance, we followed that up with postoperative testing,” Taseh said. “Also, Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman [tests] were used for trend analysis.”
Researchers found a significant trend of improvement in PROMIS pain intensity and pain interference scores for each insole group. However, Taseh said carbon fiber insoles and polyethylene insoles were associated with the most significant improvements.
“Other outcomes, except for the subscales of FAOS pain and quality of life, did not show any significance,” Taseh said. “Even in these two subscales, we did have marginal significance, but further analysis did not show any significant changes.”
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Taseh A, et al. Role of insole material in treatment of plantar fasciitis: A randomized clinical trial. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting; Sept. 20-23, 2023; Louisville, Kentucky.
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