A Bibliometric Analysis of the 50 Most-cited Publications in Plantar Fascia Release

• Published in: Foot & ankle orthopaedics 2023-12, Vol.8 (4)
• Main Authors: Arrington, Derek, Markel, Jacob F., Anciano, Victor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bibliometrics; Medical databases; Orthopedics; Plantar fasciitis
• ISSN: 2473-0114; 2473-0114
• DOI: 10.1177/2473011423S00217

Category: Hindfoot; Sports Introduction/Purpose: As scientific publications continue to increase across all medical specialties, comprehensive bibliometric analyses have been utilized to evaluate the significance and impact of certain articles. Plantar fasciitis is a complex condition with often debilitating symptoms for patients. There is controversy regarding optimal treatment for it. Furthermore, to add complexity to the topic is looking through the vast literature available. The objective of this study was to analyze publications on plantar fascia release to understand the relevancy of publications in the field and provide a framework to review the literature. Methods: Using Web of Science database and the search strategy plantar fascia release OR plantar fasciitis OR plantar fasciitis surgery OR plantar fasciotomy, we identified 965 total articles. The search results were then refined to include 931 publications filtered for “English.” Results were further refined to 657 publications filtered for “articles.” Papers were then exported from Web of Science in Microsoft Excel and analyzed for total citations, average number of citations, authorship, journal, institution, country of publication, and year of publication. We determined the 50 most-cited articles about plantar fascia release and analyzed the parameters of these studies. Results: The 657 analyzed articles were published between 1974 and 2023 with a plurality 57 published in each of 2020 and 2022. Elsevier was the most successful publisher with 136 of the publications. Of the authors, Langford authored 7 of the 657 publications. The top 50 most cited articles were cited on average 131.2 times, ranging from being cited 76 to 403 times. The United States was found to have the most publications with 30 of the top 50 regarding Plantar fascia release, followed by Australia with 5 publications. The top 50 articles in this analysis were published between 1983 and 2013, with the most cited being Riddle (2003). Conclusion: A vast array of publications regarding plantar fascia release exists within the field of Orthopaedics. With so much information available, it is difficult to navigate the intricacies of pertinent research. As research began in 1974 and has flourished over the last decade, both publications and the number of times articles are cited have been increasing. This growth indicates a growing relevance of researching plantar fascia release. The purpose of this article was to review the 50 mos