Low-dose Radiation Treatment for Painful Heel Spur: a Highly Effective Therapy With Little Side Effects

Abstract Aim: Evaluation of pain reduction using orthovolt or cobalt-based radiation treatment for painful heel spurs and determination of long-term response as well as prognostic parameters.Methods: We identified a total of 102 consecutive patients treated for a total of 117 symptomatic heel spurs. 59 patients were treated with cobalt radiation, 31 patients with orthovolt therapy and 12 patients with both radiation systems. Pain reduction was scored using the modified Rowe-Score prior therapy, at the end of each treatment series as well as after 6 weeks and at the time of data collection. Long-term outcome was evaluated in patients with a follow-up period of longer than three years. Results: Before radiation therapy, 61 patients (60.4%) had a score of 0, significant strong pain. At the time of completion of radiation treatment, 3 patients (2.7%) were pain free (score of 30), whereas 8 patients (7.9%) had still severe pain (score 0). 6 weeks after radiation therapy, 33 patients (32.7%) were pain-free and 8 patients (7.9%) had severe pain (score 0), while at the time data of collection, 74 patients (73%) were free of pain and 1 patient (1%) had strong pain (score 0). Duration of pain before the start of radiation treatment was a significant prognostic factor (p=0.012) for response to treatment. Hier noch etwas über die Nebenwirkungen schreiben? Darauf gehen wir in der Conclusion ja ein.Conclusion: Radiotherapy of painful heel spurs is a highly effective therapy with little side effects providing long-term therapeutic response. The only significant prognostic parameter for response to treatment is the duration of pre-radiation therapy pain. Early integration of radiation therapy in the treatment seems to result in superior pain reduction.