Introduction: Plantar fasciitis is a result of degenerative and inflammatory changes at the origin of the plantar fascia and is characterized by intense, sharp pain in the medial plantar part of the heel, which occurs in the morning at first steps, after prolonged inactivity, or after prolonged stress on the foot. Treatment of plantar fasciitis is mainly conservative, with rest and cooling to reduce pain. Other methods, such as stretching exercises, electrotherapy, laser therapy, ultrasound, custom foot orthotics, and injection therapy with corticosteroids, platelet-rich plasma, and prolotherapy, are also used. Recently, a promising non-invasive deep shockwave method has been introduced for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, effectively tackling plantar fasciitis. Purpose: The aim of this diploma is to analyze the efficacy of shockwave therapy in patients with plantar fasciitis by reviewing the literature. Methods: The literature we analyzed was searched in the PubMed database. The main inclusion criteria were: studies published between 2017 and 2022; English-language studies; subjects with plantar fasciitis; and use of focal or radial depth shock waves. Results: According to the inclusion criteria, five studies were included in the literature review. Studies have measured the effects on pain and foot function in patients with plantar fasciitis. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in patients' pain and foot function, especially in the short term. Pain decreased from 7.4 to 4.5 on the Visual Analogue Scale in the short term, and there was almost no change in the long term, but there was a decrease in pain from 6.9 to 6.2 on the visual analogue scale. Foot function improved from 75.8 to 53.8 in the short term, with almost no change in the long term, but there was an improvement from 84.4 to 78.3 points on the Foot Function Index. Discussion and conclusion: High-energy shockwaves (the maximum intensity the patient can tolerate) and at least seven treatments have been shown to be effective and safe in the short term for the treatment of plantar fasciitis. Because no studies have shown that the condition improves completely, it is recommended that the therapy be combined with other physiotherapy treatments. If the condition does not improve, injectable corticosteroid therapy, platelet-rich plasma therapy, or prolotherapy are recommended. Future studies should include a larger number of subjects, a placebo group or a no-treatment group, and a longer-term follow-up of the effects of the treatments.
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