What is Shockwave Therapy?

Pneumatic ballistic radial extracorporeal shock wave is compressor generated pulse sound waves into precise ballistic energy waves, compare with the traditional older technology electromagnetic shock wave; this allows more energy to be generated, a max to 6 bar. This allows for more configurations and faster treatment.  This allows for a power increase of up to 200%.  Shockwave therapy is a multidisciplinary device used in podiatry, general orthopedics, physiotherapy, sports medicine.  Its main assets are fast pain relief and mobility restoration. Used in conjunction with other non-surgical treatments, this allows for successful therapy with no need for pain medications which have their own risks.  This makes it an ideal therapy to speed up recovery and cure various maladies which cause acute or chronic pain.  This non-surgical treatment aids the body in its natural healing process.

Overview of Procedure

Dr. Menendez will begin by locating the sore spot on your heel. The region is then marked and ultrasound gel is used and applied directly to the skin; the gel aids in the access of the acoustic waves to the inflamed tissues.  The pneumatic ballistic probe is used to deliver shock waves directly to the skin for a determined length of time. Shock waves are sent deep into the soft tissue as a result of this.  Once the treatment session is completed, the gel is removed and the session is complete.  In most cases, the whole procedure takes less than 20 minutes.

How Does it Work?

What is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy or ESWT? Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy or ESWT is a 20-minute non-surgical procedure used to cure chronic plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and other chronic tendinopathies.  ESWT benefits patients because their condition can be treated extracorporeally, meaning outside of the body.  Since ESWT is non-invasive, there is no lengthy recovery period, virtually no time off from work or risk of causing further damage.

ESWT is one of the few technologies that performs best on people with chronic conditions that did not respond to conservative traditional therapy. ESWT accelerates the body’s own healing process in a number of ways.  Through a process called cavitation, ESWT stimulates fibroblast and tenocyte production. Fibroblast or tenocyte cells make up your body’s connective tissues, such as tendons and the fascia.  ESWT diminishes pain by over-stimulating the nerves that send pain sensations to the brain.

The procedure can break down pathological calcification deposits (also known as a spur). Depending upon your condition this may or may not be the goal, but an interesting by-product. In all cases, ESWT is targeted at the condition that caused the spur, not the spur itself.

Applications

Sports Injury Recovery • Rehabilitation Therapy • Physiotherapy Pain Relief

What disorders can be treated?

  • Heel spurs: plantar fasciitis
  • Tendons: chronic enthesopathies
  • Achilles tendon: mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy
  • Achilles tendon: insertional Achilles tendinopathy
  • Shin pain: tibialis anterior syndrome
  • Osgood Schlatter disease (OSD)

Treatment features:

  • No rest period required after treatment.
  • Sessions require a short amount of time.
  • Visible results in just a few short sessions.
  • Used for sports injury recovery, rehabilitation therapy and chronic pain relief.

I have had this problem for a long time. Is it too late for me?

No! The chronic sufferer has new hope with ESWT. Long-term sufferers finally have a non-surgical treatment option. If you have “tried everything” don’t be discouraged, this is a new weapon against your pain!

Specific Treatments

Plantar Fasciitis

When you get up in the morning to go to the bathroom, do you feel a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of your heel? Is the pain lessening when you walk around? If this is the case, you might have plantar fasciitis.  In the United States, plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. This disease affects around two million people in the United States according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Plantar fasciitis affects about ten percent of all Americans at some point in their lives.

Plantar fasciitis develops when the plantar fascia, a fan-shaped tissue in the bottom of the foot, becomes inflamed. This thick band of connective tissue runs from your heel bone to your toes and helps keep your foot arch in shape. As a result, when it is strained as a result of plantar fasciitis, it causes a painful, stabbing pain that gets worse first thing in the morning. Most people forget the pain because it seems to get better as the day goes by. The more this condition is left untreated, the more likely it is that the pain will become chronic. Furthermore, this can lead to fatigue, which can impair regular walking.

ESWT FOR PLANTAR FASCIITIS, TENDONITIS AND GENERAL HEEL PAIN

In the past, the options for plantar fasciitis treatment were limited to steroid injections, custom orthotics, or other procedures. Steroid injections rapidly minimize swelling and inflammation. However, these should not be used on a long-term basis because they can weaken the tendonover time with too many injections.  Custom orthotics can assist in the relief of pain caused by plantar fasciitis. You must modify your shoe gear properly for the orthotics to function. It is most likely that you will not want to wear the same shoe all the time. Invasive surgery has the potential to cause severe side effects and can even weaken the arch of your foot over time. Surgery also necessitates a lengthy recovery period, resulting in several missed work days. ESWT is an FDA-approved, non-invasive treatment for these conditions, is less dangerous than surgery and it also does not necessitate a lengthy recovery time.  This FDA approved treatment is based on the findings of randomized double-blinded scientific trials.

THE ESWT TREATMENT PROCESS-HOW DOES IT WORK?

Since the plantar fascia is situated in a part of the foot that doesn’t get a lot of blood flow, it can take a long time for it to heal. Shockwave treatment helps the body repair the inflammation and damage to the plantar fascia, which is the cause of plantar fasciitis.

The ESWT handheld device is used to transmit pressure waves to the skin during shockwave treatment. These waves pass through the skin until they enter inflamed tissue, at which point they stop. They activate the body’s natural healing mechanism, which results in the formation of new blood vessels. This improves the area’s oxygen and blood supply, reducing inflammation and allowing healthy cells to regenerate.

FAQs

When Will I Feel Some Relief?

Plantar fasciitis symptoms can be relieved quickly for some patients. For some, the soreness can take two to four hours to subside after the procedure.

How Many Treatments Would You Require?

A minimum of four weekly treatments is recommended. Otherwise, there’s a chance you won’t see any results.  Additional treatments may be necessary depending on the patient and pathology being treated.

Will Anesthesia Be Required?

Shockwave treatment is a painless and non-invasive treatment. It is performed in the office and no anesthesia is needed.

How Long Would It Take To Get Back On Your Feet?

There is no need for downtime or recovery time. As soon as you leave your office, you can resume your usual activities.  Plus, since shockwave treatment involves practically no downtime, you won’t have to think about the cost of taking time off work. The outcomes of this treatment have been outstanding. The majority of our shockwave treatment patients receive long-term relief. Let’s get you back on your feet.