Shockwave therapy has been used successfully for multiple conditions that affect the foot, ankle and lower leg. This is a non surgical approach to many foot consitions including: plantar fasciitis and fasciosis, Achilles tendinopathy, posterioir tendonosis and trigger point treatments. Shockwave devices deliver 1,500 to 3,000 shocks per session. Each session can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes, with the number of treatment sessions varying from one to six.
Eighty percent of patients with plantar fasciopathy improve within 12 months with standard conservative care. Those with recalcitrant plantar fasciosis are candidates for shockwave herapy. It is the preferred treatment to cortisone injection and surgery; patients can bear weight immediately and return to normal activity quickly.
Rasmussen et al11 compared conservative treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy to a second group that received SWT in addition to conservative treatment. Both groups showed improvement. However, the SWT group showed better results at 8- and 12-week follow- ups. The researchers concluded shockwave therapy appears to be a good supplemental treatment for chronic Achilles tendinopathy. SWT alleviates pain of chronic Achilles tendinopathy by inducing neovascularization and improved blood supply, which initiates repair regeneration.
The use of SWT to treat trigger points has become increasingly common.
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