Yellend M. et al., (2011) [6] | Patients with painful mid-portion Achilles tendinosis (n = 43) | Prolotherapy group: dextrose 20% (n = 14) ELE group: Eccentric loaded exercise (n = 15) Combined ELE and prolotherapy group (n = 14) | 4 to 12 sessions; weekly, Palpation method | 1. Pain 2. Function (VISA-A) 3. Stiffness 4. Activity limitation | 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12 months | Significant increase in VISA-A score at 6 and 12 months and earlier reduction in pain, stiffness, and activity limitation in prolotherapy and combined group; |
Maxwell J.N. et al., (2007) [57] | Patients with Achilles tendinitis symptoms for more than 3 months (n = 34) | All patients received dextrose 25% intratendinous injection (n = 36) | Injections every 6 weeks until symptom resolution or no improvement was shown; under sonographic guidance | 1. Pain at rest, during daily activity, during and after sport (VAS score) 2. Sonographic features (tendon thickness, echogenicity, neovascularity) | Before every injection session, 12 months after treatment completion | Significant reduction in pain scores after hypertonic dextrose injection |
Mansiz Kaplan B. et al., (2020) [48] | Patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis (n = 60) | Intervention: dextrose 15% injection (n = 30) Control: normal saline injection (n = 30) | 2 sessions; every 3 weeks, Under palpation guidance | 1. Pain (VAS score) 2. Function (FFI score) 3. Fascia thickness | 5, 12 weeks | Significant improvement in pain, disability and fascia thickness in dextrose injection compared to the control group |
Asheghan M. et al., (2020) [52] | Patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis (n = 59) | Intervention: dextrose 20% injection (n = 30) Control: extracorporeal shock wave Therapy (n = 29) | 2 sessions; weekly intervals, Under ultrasound guidance | 1. Pain (VAS score) 2. Function (FAAM score) 3. Fascia thickness | 6, 12 weeks | Significant improvement in pain, disability, and fascia thickness in both groups, no significant difference between groups |
Kim E. et al., (2014) [49] | Patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis (n = 21) | Intervention: dextrose 15% injection (n = 11) Control: autologous platelet-rich plasma (n = 10) | 2 sessions biweekly, Under ultrasound guidance | 1. Function (FFI score) | 2 weeks, 2, 6 months | Significant improvement in FFI score and its subcategories (pain, disability, and activity limitation) in both groups with better results in PRP group, no significant difference between groups |
Ersen O. et al., (2018) [51] | Patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis (n = 50) | Intervention: dextrose 15% injection (n = 26) Control: stretching exercise (n = 24) | 3 sessions; every 3 weeks, Under ultrasound guidance | 1. Pain (VAS score) 2. function (FFI, FAOS score) | 21, 42, 90, 360 days after injection completion | Significant improvement in pain, FFI, and FAOS scores in the prolotherapy group compared to the control group |