Table 4 Subgroup analyses related to determining the effect of ESWT on mean pain in patients with plantar fasciitis

PF

Age

≤ 30

5

-0.50 (-3.11, -0.11)

78.73%

51.96

0.0001

> 30

14

-2.02 (-3.69, -0.35)

87.49%

66.09

0.0001

0.92

0.340

BMI

≤ 25

7

-0.34 (-1.58, 0.91)

34.82%

12.76

0.099

> 25

4

-2.80 (-6.64, -0.05)

58.95%

55.65

0.048

1.43

0.238

Sessions

< 5 weeks

15

-1.09 (-2.72, -0.53)

18.44%

5.9

0.652

≥ 5 weeks

4

-3.75 (-7.21, -0.28)

47.97%

15.33

0.098

1.85

0.170

HZ

< 10

6

-5.93 (-8.65, -3.20)

68.27%

21.76

0.08

≥ 10

4

-0.58 (-3.51, -0.06)

70.21%

27.45

0.088

6.86

0.010

Plus

≤ 2000

15

-2.77 (-4.45, -1.08)

77.01%

45.49

0.001

< 2000

4

2.40 (1.50, 3.30)

70.43%

38

0.005

28.08

0.0001

Follow up

5–10 weeks

7

-0.34 (-2.07, -0.01)

97.88%

82.37

0.001

10–15 weeks

4

-4.33 (-9.72, -1.06)

99.81%

66.5

0.001

3.19

0.365

15–20 weeks

3

-3.13 (-6.99, -0.73)

98.46%

29.58

0.001

> 20

5

-0.91 (-4.05, -0.23)

98.81%

19.92

0.001

Type of ESWT

RaSW

7

-0.26 (-1.96, -0.01)

99.60%

88.31

0.001

FoSW

4

-1.98 (-3.55, -0.42)

94.16%

41.5

0.001

7.47

0.029

Not determined

18

-2.06 (-4.84, -0.73)

98.19%

30.02

0.001

Type of comparisons

Placebo

2

-11.03 (-32.43, -4.38)

33.48%

5.31

0.077

CSI

5

-5.43 (-9.54, -1.32)

0.00%

3.18

0.87

103.2

0.0001

ACP

3

1.26 (-0.06, 2.58)

90.08%

40.39

0.004

PRP

3

2.74 (1.72, 3.75)

78.52%

20.16

0.089

Others

4

-0.58 (-3.51, 2.36)

58.21%

8.57

0.087