Soft tissue injection efficacy
| Level of evidence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |
| SA-SD bursa | – | 4 studies: USGIs are more efficacious than LMGIs54 87 103 121 1 study: USGI produces more pain relief with local anaesthetic injection than LMGI100 1 study: USGI more efficacious than LMGI in some but not all outcome measures51 1 study: USGI more efficacious than oral steroids in some but not all outcome measures92 1 study: accurate injections are more efficacious than inaccurate injections93 2 studies: accurate injections no more efficacious than inaccurate injections91 105 | – | – | – |
| Rotator cuff | – | – | – | 1 study: USG lavage and aspiration of calcific tendinopathy is efficacious124 | – |
| Lateral elbow common extensor tendon | – | – | – | 1 study: USG needle tenotomy is efficacious112 | – |
| DeQuervain's tenosynovitis | – | 1 study: USGIs more efficacious than LMGIs106 | – | 1 study: USGI are efficacious111 | – |
| Carpal tunnel syndrome | – | 3 studies: USGI more efficacious and less painful than LMGI85 109 122 | – | – | – |
| Gluteus medius tendon | – | – | – | 1 study: USGIs are efficacious107 | – |
| Baker's cyst | – | 1 study: USGI Baker's cyst aspiration and injection more efficacious than Baker's cyst aspiration and knee injection84 | – | 1 study: USG aspiration and injection are efficacious90 | – |
| Plantar fascia | – | 1 study: no difference in efficacy between USGI, LMGI and SGI125 1 study: no difference in efficacy between USGI and LMGI, but less recurrence following USGI119 | – | 1 study: USGIs are efficacious120 | – |
| Morton's neuroma | – | – | – | 2 studies: USGIs are efficacious94 104 | – |
| FFT, FET, ECUT, TP tendon and peroneal tendon sheath | – | – | – | 1 study: USGIs are efficacious89 | – |
| Patellar, Achilles, gluteus medius, ITB, hamstring, lateral elbow, rectus femoris | – | – | – | 1 study: USG needle tenotomies are efficacious102 | – |
| Multiple upper and lower extremity tendons | – | – | – | 1 study: USG needle tenotomies with PRP injections are efficacious96 | – |
| Postupper extremity amputation neuromas | – | – | – | – | 1 study: USGIs are efficacious88 |
ECUT, extensor carpi ulnaris tendon; FET, finger extensor tendon; FFT, finger flexor tendon; LMGI, landmark-guided injection; PRP, platelet rich plasma; SA-SD, subacromial-subdeltoid; SGI, scintigraphy-guided injection; TP, tibialis posterior; USG, ultrasound-guided; USGI, ultrasound-guided injection.