# Comparison of the Short- and Long-Term Effects of Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation and Intralesional Cryoablation Treatments on Pain Management and Functional Recovery in Patients Diagnosed With Calcaneal Spur: Retrospective Study

## TL;DR

This study compares two treatments for heel pain caused by calcaneal spurs, finding that each has unique benefits for short-term and long-term outcomes.

## Contribution

The paper provides a novel comparative analysis of RFT and CA for calcaneal spur treatment, highlighting their differential short- and long-term efficacy.

## Key findings

- Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) showed faster and more effective short-term pain relief and functional improvement.
- Intralesional cryoablation (CA) demonstrated superior long-term ankle function outcomes.
- Personalized treatment selection is recommended based on individual patient needs.

## Abstract

Calcaneal spur is an important cause of chronic pain that is resistant to conservative treatments and reduces quality of life. Nerve ablation techniques are widely used in chronic pain. This study aimed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) and intralesional cryoablation (CA) on pain management, functional limitation, and ankle function in patients with calcaneal spurs.

This study included 71 patients aged between 28 and 52 years (body mass index, 22.3–31.1) who were receiving chronic pain treatment. The patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using the visual analog scale, functional limitation, activity limitation, and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society score.

VAS was measured as 1.2 ± 0.1 in the RFT group and 1.3 ± 0.2 in the CA group at 6 months. RFT yielded faster and more effective results in pain management and short-term functional improvement (p=0.00002), whereas CA was superior to the former in terms of ankle function in the long term (p=0.0001).

RFT and CA have different advantages. Thus, personalized treatment should be provided to each patient. Although our study was conducted retrospectively, prospective studies are needed to support our findings.