Table 2. Characteristic of selected studies (n= 19)

Author(Year) Country Sample size Group(n) Age(Mean±SD) Sex(M/F) Symptom duration
Konjen et al. (2015) Thailand 30 rESWT(15), Ultrasound(15) rESWT: 45.6±1.07,US: 45.0±1.13 rESWT: 4/11, US: 2/13 1.33-1.37 years
Rompe et al. (2015) Germany 152 Only rESWT(73),rESWT+stretching(79) Only rESWT: 51.2(27-71),rESWT+stretching: 52.0(30-73) Only rESWT: 33/40,rESWT+stretching: 38/41 Only rESWT: 18 months(12-34),rESWT+stretching: 16 months(12-30)
Eslamian et al. (2016) Iran 40 rESWT(20),CS injection(20) rESWT: 41.45±8.05,CS injection: 42.85±8.62 rESWT: 2/18,CS injection: 5/15 8wks(>2 months conservative treatment failure)
Hocaoglu et al. (2017) Turkey 72 rESWT(36), Corticosteroid(36) rESWT: 50.22±8.29, Corticosteroid: 47.86±7.90 rESWT: 6/30, Corticosteroid: 4/32 8-9 months
Ibrahim et al. (2017) USA 52(50 completed) rESWT(25),Placebo(25) rESWT: 56.6±2.7,Placebo: 49.1±2.6 rESWT: 9/18,Placebo: 11/14 ≥6 months
Ulusoy et al. (2017) Turkey 60 LLLT(20),US therapy(20),rESWT(20) LLLT: 53.40±14.71,US therapy: 50.95±9.62,rESWT: 54.45±6.90 LLLT: 4/16,US therapy: 3/17,rESWT: 4/16 LLLT: 14.40±9.00 months,US therapy: 17.30±14.71 monthsrESWT: 27.00±29.79 months
Yin et al.(2017) China 278 rESWT low(93), moderate(93),high(92) 55.0±13.3 142/136 82.1 days(30-365 days)
Uğurlar et al. (2018) Turkey 158 rESWT(39)Prolotherapy(40)PRP(39)CS injection(40) rESWT: 39.2(21-49Prolotherapy: 37.5(25-62)PRP: 38.4(19-58) injection: 40.1(21-56) rESWT: 22/17Prolotherapy: 21/19PRP: 19/20CS injection: 17/23 rESWT: 15.7 months(14-18)Prolotherapy: 13.2 months(12-14)PRP: 13.9 months(12-15)CS injection: 14.5 months(13-16)
Morral Fernández et al. (2019) Spain 135 Standard rESWT device(45)Sophisticated rESWT device(45)Austere rESWT device(45) Standard rESWT device: 48.27±9.96Sophisticated rESWT device: 52.51±12.28Austere rESWT device: 49.31±11.14 Standard rESWT device: 30/15Sophisticated rESWT device: 18/27Austere rESW device: 22/23 Standard rESWT device: 13.27±9.26 monthsSophisticated rESWT device: 14.98±12.72 monthsAustere rESW device: 13.53±9.09 months
Asheghan et al. (2021) Iran 59 rESWT(29), Prolotherapy(30) Not specified rESWT: 9/20, Prolotherapy: 11/19 >8 weeks
Mohammed et al. (2022) Iraq 50 rESWT(25),Steroid injection(25) rESWT: 35.2(28-44),Steroid injection: 30.9(25-45) rESWT: 8/17,Steroid injection: 7/18 ≥6 months (failed conservative treatment)
Wheeler et al. (2022) UK 117(114 completed) Intervention(60),Control(55) Intervention: 50.3±9.2,Control: 53.2±9.8 Intervention: 24/36,Control: 16/41 32.6±30.8 months(Median: 24 months)
Moneim et al. (2023) Egypt 50 rESWT(25)CSI+TUS(25) rESWT: 45.4±10.8,CSI+TUS: 40.0±7.3 Female only(0/50) >3 months
Orhan et al. (2023) Turkey 90 feet(64 patients) CSI(30),rESWT(30),KT(30) Total: 38.3±10.4,CSI: 37.1±9.1,rESWT: 37.3±10.9,KT: 40.4±11.2 Total: 11/53,CSI: 3/19,rESWT: 4/18,KT: 4/16 6 month
On & Yim|(2023) Republic of Korea 34 rESWT-LV(17),rESWT-alone(17) 37.5 Not specified >3 months
RIAZ et al.(2023) Pakistan 45 rESWT: 15,HILT: 15,Control: 15 rESWT: 39.66±10.05,HILT: 38.06±12.64,Control: 37.40±13.18 Total: 17/28 having a duration of symptoms of more than 6 months
Pabón-Carrasco et al. (2024) Spain 127 Iontophoresis(63),rESWT(64) Iontophoresis: 51.5±11.6,rESWT: 48.8±8.7 Iontophoresis: 36/26rESWT: 35/30 >8 weeks (chronic PF, >3mm fascia thickness)
Wang et al.(2024) China 86(80 completed) rESWT+Trps(40),rESWT(40) rESWT+Trps: 50.3±9.2,rESWT: 53.2±9.8 rESWT+Trps: 16/24,rESWT: 14/26 rESWT+Trps: 33.4±36.3 months,rESWT: 31.9±24.7 months
Ines et al.(2025) Tunisia 129 rESWT(66),Physio+US(63) rESWT: 50.6±10.92,Physio+US: 50±9 rESWT: 19/47,Physio+US: 9/54 rESWT: 11 months (12.3 SD),Physio+US: 10.8 months (10.5 SD)
rESWT, radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy; US, ultrasound; CS, corticosteroid; LLLT, low-level laser therapy; PRP, platelet-rich plasma; KT, kinesio taping; LV, local vibration; HILT, high-intensity laser therapy; Trps, trigger points; TUS, therapeutic ultrasound; CSI, corticosteroid injection; SD, standard deviation; M, male; F, female; wks, weeks; mos, months; PF, plantar fasciitis.