Heel Pain Shock Wave Therapy

By Fariba Azizi, DPM, PC

Potomac Podiatry

More Pain Management & Rehabilitation Articles

Heel Pain Shock Wave Therapy

It can be easily said that seven out of ten people walking into a podiatrists office suffer from heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis. Regardless of age or gender, this painful condition can and does affect just about anyone.
Maybe we can partly blame our busy lifestyle, but mainly it is the faulty bio-mechanics of the foot that place too much stress on the soft tissue and the heel bone. The result is inflammation of the soft tissue, the plantar fascia inside, and pain that is perceived by the patient from outside.
Plantar fasciitis is described as a self-limited condition. The pain is usually worse in the morning upon arising and aggravated by ambulation and shoe gear. The progressive pain and inability to be engaged in any athletic activity or simply spend prolonged hours on the feet, leads the suffering patient into the podiatrists office.
Once the plantar fasciitis is diagnosed, a treatment plan is discussed with the patient. Conservative care should always be employed first, such as the following
Icing and stretching exercises that are recommended by the podiatrist
Proper shoe gear
Functional orthotic device to correct the faulty bio-mechanics
Cortisone injection
Anti-inflammatory medication
The failure of conservative care opens the door to other treatment options, such as shock wave therapy.
Extra-corporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a non-surgical alternative for the treatment of the heel pain. ESWT is not recommended for individuals with diabetes, vascular disease, autoimmune disease, peripheral neuropathy, or individuals with previous surgery for plantar fasciitis.
Always consult with your podiatric physician and discuss all the treatment options available to you. For the right individual, this non-surgical option, ESWT, can be performed in the office under local anesthesia.