Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that affects millions of people on a daily basis. The pain is caused by tiny tears in the tissue that runs along the bottom of your feet from your heels to your toes.
This damage increases the inflammation in your foot which can lead to weakness & soreness, often making simple tasks like standing up unbearable.
Luckily, shockwave therapy is an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis that is both safe & fast. It’s a non-invasive and low-intensity procedure that sends targeted pressure waves directly to the area of pain.
These pressure waves achieve many things at once. For starters, they reduce the concentration of Substance P pain receptors, giving an immediate feeling of pain relief.
The treatment also triggers the production of new blood vessels, which increases blood supply & oxygen to the affected area, resulting in faster healing.
Shockwave therapy is ultimately a procedure that kickstarts your body’s natural ability to heal itself.
How Long Does Shockwave Therapy Take To Work on Plantar Fasciitis?
A study was published in 2020 looking into the effectiveness of shockwave therapy specifically in treating plantar fasciitis.
Data was collected from 56 patients, all of them were reevaluated at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. The study made note of progressive improvement in the patient’s plantar fasciitis condition in all three outcomes.
No two patients are the same of course, however a single treatment of shockwave therapy generally starts to show results within 2-3 weeks.
For long-term results, additional sessions may be necessary in addition to assessing the underlying cause of your plantar fasciitis.
Can Shockwave Therapy Make Plantar Fasciitis Worse?
Aside from potential discomfort during the treatment and possible soreness or redness following the treatment, there are no known side effects to receiving shockwave therapy.
This treatment has been around since the late 90s and has successfully treated many musculoskeletal conditions in that time.
Many patients report the procedure as being entirely pain-free. However, if you do experience pain, the intensity of the pressure waves can be adjusted to match your tolerance to it.
Due to the non-invasive nature of the procedure, complications are nearly non-existent. One systematic review of shockwave therapy for plantar fascitis found that no complications are expected at the one-year follow-up post-procedure.
Shockwave Therapy Treatment
If you’d like to book a treatment, we offer shockwave therapy in Edmonton. Our team at Coronation Physio has years of experience treating conditions like plantar fasciitis.
We are specialists in all types of chronic pains, and not only will we treat your pain, but we’ll also help you determine the root cause of your issue & develop a treatment plan that gets your back to 100%!
If you have any further questions about shockwave therapy or alternative treatments for plantar fasciitis, please contact us or book an appointment.
