HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Patients with plantar fasciopathy who received injections of high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid showed improved outcome scores and activities of daily living, according to results of a study presented here.

“The improvement in VAS score from baseline to 5 weeks was significantly greater in the high hyaluronic acid (HA) group than in the placebo group. High-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can be an alternative treatment for plantar fasciopathy without any adverse effect,” Tsukasa Kumai, MD, PhD, said.

The researchers conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 168 patients randomized to one of three groups. The first group received a low dose of five weekly injections of 0.8 mL 1% HA. The second group received a high dose of five weekly injections of 2.5 mL of 1% HA and the third group received 2.5 mL of a placebo. The researchers evaluated the patients up to 5 weeks after the injections.

For the high HA group, the VAS score was 6.557±0.219 cm at baseline. For the low HA group, the VAS was 6.592±0.239 cm at baseline and the placebo group had a VAS of 6.736±0.217 cm. At 5 weeks, the VAS score was 3.329±0.296 cm for the high HA group, 4.042±0.322 cm for the low HA group and 4.247±0.294 cm for the placebo group. The researchers also recorded better Roles and Maudsley scores, local symptoms and activities of daily living after HA injections.

“Limitation of this study was observation period was shorter,” Kumai said. — by Renee Blissard Buddle