Background: Endoscopic plantar fascia release (EPFR) is a common surgical option for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. Although calcaneal spur excision (CSE) is frequently performed as an adjunct, its added clinical benefit remains unclear. This study compared outcomes of EPFR alone vs EPFR combined with CSE. Methods: This retrospective study included 23 patients (30 feet) who underwent endoscopic surgery for plantar fasciitis between 2017 and 2024. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to surgical procedure performed: EPFR (n = 22 feet) and EPFR+CSE (n = 8 feet). Pain and functional outcomes were assessed pre- and postoperatively using the visual analog scale (VAS), first-step VAS, American Orthopaedic Foot AOFAS p = 0.23; FFI p = 0.61). No recurrence or complications were observed. Conclusion: EPFR, with or without CSE, was associated with clinical and functional improvement. With the numbers available, no additional benefit of CSE could be detected. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Yilmaz et al. (2026) studied this question.