Yapici, Furkan; Gur, Volkan; Sari, Ilker Fatih; Karakose, Resit; Tardus, Ismail; Ucpunar, Hanifi

Yapici, Furkan; Gur, Volkan; Sari, Ilker Fatih; Karakose, Resit; Tardus, Ismail; Ucpunar, Hanifi

Background: Chronic plantar fasciitis (CPF) is a common disease that has various treatment options. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three of these options: corticosteroid injection (CSI), extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), and radiofrequency thermal lesioning (RTL). Methods: The records of 229 patients treated with CSI (n = 81), ESWT (n = 76), or RTL (n = 72) were retrospectively analyzed. Visual analog scale scores, patient satisfaction– related success rates, repeated treatment rates, and initial treatment change rates were compared. Results: Mean ± SD follow-up was 19.0 ± 4.5 months. Baseline clinical characteristics, mean visual analog scale scores (before treatment and at months 3, 6, and 12), patient satisfaction and success rates (at months 6 and 12), and repeated treatment and initial treatment change rates were similar between treatment groups. No complications were observed after the treatments. Conclusions: All three options—CSI, ESWT, and RTL—were found to be safe and effective in treating CPF, with similar outcomes up to 1 year. Use of CSIs is advantageous because it is more accessible than the other treatments. Similarly, the noninvasive nature of ESWT is glaring among other minimally invasive options. Therefore, the first-line treatment modality of CPF can be CSI or ESWT, depending on the patient’s and physician’s joint preference; RTL treatment should be tried in patients who do not respond to these treatments.

Tanoğglu, Oğguzhan; Subasşi, Izzet Özay; Gökgöz, Mehmet Burak

Background: Syndesmosis is an important soft-tissue component supporting ankle stability. It is commonly injured along with ankle fractures. Accurate reduction and fixation of syndesmosis is essential to obtain better functional results. Therefore, we aimed to find a practical method using the mortise view of the ankle to determine the optimal syndesmosis fixation angle intraoperatively. Methods: We randomly selected 200 adults (100 women and 100 men) aged 18 to 60 years. Three-dimensional anatomical models of the tibia and fibula were created. We created a best-fit plane on the articular surface of the medial malleolus and a 90° vertical plane to the medial malleolus plane. We determined two splines on the cortical borders of the tibia and fibula distant from the most superior point of the ankle joint in horizontal view. We created two spheres that fit to the predefined splines. The optimal syndesmosis fixation angle was determined measuring the angle between the line connecting the center points of the spheres and the 90° vertical plane to the medial malleolus plane. Results: We observed no statistically significant difference in optimal syndesmosis fixation angles between sex groups. The participant mean ± SD age was 47.1 ± 10.5 years. The optimal syndesmosis fixation angle in the mortise view was found to be 21° ± 4.3°. Conclusions: We determined the optimal syndesmosis fixation angle to be 21° ± 4.3° using the mortise view of the ankle. The surgeon could evaluate the whole articular surface of the ankle joint with the medial and lateral syndesmotic spaces in mortise view accurately, and at the same position syndesmosis fixation could be performed at a mean ± SD angle of 21° ± 4.3°.

Yüce, Ali; Ocak, Olcayto; Gur, Volkan; Misir, Abdulhamit

Background: Patients frequently use YouTube to learn about their illness. For this reason, the educational and quality of YouTube videos about various diseases has been investigated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy and quality of YouTube videos. Methods: A standard query was performed on the YouTube database using the following search terms: Plantar fasciitis, heel spur, and calcaneal spur. For each search term, the top 50 videos determined by YouTube’s “relevance” according to its algorithm were evaluated (150 videos in total). After exclusion, 140 videos were included in the study. These videos were watched by 2 observers and the videos were evaluated and scored according to the Global Quality Score (GQS), DISCERN, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Plantar Fasciitis and Calcaneal Spurs Specific Score (PFSS) scoring systems. Results: According to the JAMA criteria, 76.42% of the videos and 43.57% of the videos according to the GQS scored 2 points or less. According to DISCERN criteria, 67.15% of the videos were evaluated as very poor/poor. According to the PFSS, 83.5% of the videos were rated as poor or very poor. Conclusions: These findings can be interpreted as the general information content of the videos about plantar fasciitis is insufficient and their reliability and quality are low. As a result, it can be concluded that the quality and reliability of YouTube videos regarding plantar fasciitis are insufficient for patients. Universities/associations prepare videos that provide information about plantar fasciitis to patients, and that these videos are presented on certain platforms can be a solution.

Cobden, Adem; Camurcu, Yalkin; Sofu, Hakan; Ucpunar, Hanifi; Duman, Serda; Kocabiyik, Ahmet

Background: The windlass mechanism, first described by John Hicks in 1954, defines the anatomical and biomechanical relationship between the hallux and the plantar fascia. Hallux valgus (HV) and plantar fasciitis are the most common foot disorders, and, to date, no study has evaluated the relationship between these disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of and factors associated with plantar fasciitis in patients with HV deformity. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 486 patients with HV were divided into three groups according to stage of HV deformity. Patient sex, age, and body mass index were recorded. Presence of accompanying plantar fascii ti s and heel spur was investigated by physical and radiographic examination. First metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion of the affected side was measured. Patients with or without plantar fasciitis were also compared to evaluate factors associated with plantar fasciitis. Results: Mean age and body mass index of the patients were significantly different among the three HV groups. The incidence of plantar fasciitis and heel spur significantly increased in correlation with the severity of HV deformity. Increased age and HV stage and decreased first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion were significantly associated with presence of plantar fasciitis in HV. Conclusions: In this study, the incidence of plantar fasciitis was significantly increased in correlation with the severity of HV deformity. Significant association was found between plantar fasciitis and HV, which are anatomically and biomechanically related to each other by the windlass mechanism.

Kanatli, Ulunay; Unal, Onur; Ataoglu, Muhammet Baybars; Ayanoglu, Tacettin; Ozer, Mustafa; Cetinkaya, Mehmet

Background: We investigated the role of first metatarsal head shape in the etiology of hallux valgus. By pedobarographic analysis, we evaluated whether first metatarsal head shape causes an alteration in plantar pressure values that would result in metatarsalgia. Methods: Referrals to our clinic for metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, and calcaneal spur were scanned retrospectively. Patients with severe hallux valgus, pes planus, gastrocnemius stiffness, generalized joint laxity, neuromuscular disease, or a history of lower-extremity orthopedic surgery were excluded. Sixty-two patients with plantar pressure assessment and radiographic evaluation were included. These patients were invited for reassessment after 10 years. Feet were divided into three groups by metatarsal head shape: round, square, and chevron. On anteroposterior radiographs, the hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles, relative first metatarsal length, lateral sesamoid subluxation, and presence of bipartite sesamoid were noted. Plantar pressure was assessed with pedobarography. Results: Feet with round-shaped first metatarsal heads had a statistically significantly greater progression in hallux valgus angle than the other shapes. Plantar pressures under the first, second and third, and fourth and fifth metatarsals increased with time. This can explain the mechanism of transfer metatarsalgia and painful callosities under the first metatarsal in hallux valgus. There was no correlation between hallux valgus angle, relative metatarsal length, and lateral sesamoid subluxation. Conclusions: We found a strong relation between round-shaped first metatarsal head and hallux valgus angle progression. No patients had a risk factor responsible for hallux valgus. In other words, this study gives approximately 10-year natural history results in nearly normal feet.

Ataoglu, Muhammet Baybars; Ali, Ali Kh.; Ozer, Mustafa; Topcu, Hüseyin Nevzat; Cetinkaya, Mehmet; Kulduk, Gamze

The foot is rarely the focus of osteoid osteoma, and only a few of those cases are related to the fifth metatarsal. The present case demonstrates that atypical symptoms with suspicious findings on plain radiographs that are not associated with trauma must be analyzed carefully to determine the nature of the lesion and perform the precise treatment to obtain and sustain the cure. A 29-year-old man presented to the outpatient clinic with a 2-year history of chronic pain in the lateral aspect of his left forefoot. The onset was not related to trauma, surgery, local infection, osteomyelitis, or another entity regarding the proximal fifth metatarsal. The patient noted that the pain was aggravated at night and typically subsided with the use of salicylates or other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Initial plain radiographs demonstrated cortical thickening and a lytic lesion at the proximal diaphysis of the fifth metatarsal. Because the pain relief was transient, we suspected an osteoid osteoma lesion, and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging manifested pathognomonic signs of subperiosteal osteoid osteoma. Diagnosis was followed by planning of the surgery that ended the patient’s symptoms.