Advice vs Advice + Exercise vs Advice + Exercise + Injection for Individuals With Plantar Fasciopathy

Inclusion Criteria: * history of inferior heel pain for at least three months before enrolment * pain on palpation of the medial calcaneal tubercle or the proximal plantar fascia * thickness of the plantar fascia of 4.0 mm or greater as measured by ultrasonography * mean heel pain of ≥30 mm on a 100 mm VAS during the previous week Exclusion Criteria: * below 18 years of age * diabetes * history of inflammatory systemic diseases * pregnancy or breastfeeding * corticosteroid injection for plantar fasciopathy within the previous six months * pain or stiffness in the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint to an extent where the exercises cannot be performed * known hypersensitivity to corticosteroids or local anaesthetics * skin or soft tissue infection near the injection site * received treatment by a healthcare professional for plantar fasciopathy within the previous 12 weeks * made any substantial changes to usual self-care of the condition in the last 4 weeks (e.g. started using insoles, started performing stretching, made a substantial decrease in physical activity level)