Intra-articular corticosteroid injections: a critical literature review with up-to-date findings.

Intra-articular corticosteroid injections are frequently used in the management of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with most evidence and articles confined to the knee joint. There are few articles that deal with intra-articular corticosteroid injections in the foot and ankle. The aim of this critical literature review is to find the most up-to-date material on intra-articular corticosteroid injections for the foot and ankle. This article will review: effects of corticosteroids; pharmacology of injectable corticosteroids; mechanism of action; indications and contraindications; agents and the dosages; adverse effects; and injection techniques. All Foreign and English language journals were searched. Please refer to Section 2 for search criteria.