CME OnDemand: 2022 AOFAS Annual Meeting-How to approach Plantar Fasciopathy in Elite Athletes? A Scoping review of the literature

Pdf Summary

Plantar fasciopathy (PF) is a common orthopaedic condition that often affects athletes, limiting their performance. This scoping review aimed to summarize the existing evidence on the management of PF in Elite Athletes and identify gaps in knowledge. The review followed a six-stage methodology and identified 10 relevant studies out of 742 initial studies.<br /><br />The selected studies included a total of 109 patients, with 8 Level IV and 2 Level V articles. Four studies discussed potential risk factors for PF in athletes, such as pre-existing thickening of the fascia, spike shoes, and varus hindfoot/knee alignment. Three studies focused on non-surgical treatments for plantar fasciitis and reported satisfactory but poorly-documented outcomes. In three studies, conservative treatment was used for fascia rupture with contrasting results, while surgery was performed in only 2 cases.<br /><br />The overall quality of the included studies was assessed using the modified Coleman Methodology Score (mMCS), with a mean score of 19 (range, 3 to 42), indicating poor methodology. Consequently, there is a lack of high-quality studies to establish a gold standard treatment for PF in Elite Athletes.<br /><br />Until more robust evidence is available, clinicians should rely on the existing literature related to the non-professional or non-athletic population to make evidence-based decisions. It is crucial to conduct further research to improve our understanding of PF management in Elite Athletes and provide better guidance for clinicians.

Asset Subtitle

Alessio Bernasconi, MD PhD FEBOT, Martina Coppola, Ariana Sgadari, Domenico Marasco, MD, Massimo Mariconda, MD

Keywords

Plantar fasciopathy

PF

athletes

performance limitation

management

Elite Athletes

evidence

knowledge gaps

scoping review

methodology