Living with heel pain can wear you down, especially when it starts to affect your daily routine. Conditions like plantar fasciitis don’t always improve with rest alone. A treatment known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) works by stimulating your body’s natural healing response, offering a more targeted way to address the source of the problem.
A History of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy has evolved over several decades, with key discoveries showing how it activates the body’s natural response.
Early Findings: WWII and the 1960s
The impact of shockwaves on human tissue was first discovered during World War II, when acoustic waves from underwater explosives damaged lung tissue in soldiers without harming other tissues. In the 1960s, scientists began exploring the potential use of shockwaves for tissue healing.
Noninvasive Technology: 1980s
The 1980s saw ESWT become a solution for breaking up kidney stones and gallstones in a procedure called lithotripsy. This marked the advent of noninvasive technologies for in vivo treatment of tissues.
Understanding the Effects on Bone: 1980s
Early on, there were concerns that the use of shockwaves to break up kidney stones could harm the hip and pelvic bones. Researchers examined this and discovered that shockwaves can activate osteoblasts, which form new bone tissue, and inhibit osteoclasts, which break down old bone tissue. This accelerates the healing of fractures.
Expansion Into Orthopedics: 1990s
In the 1990s, an orthopedic shockwave device was developed to treat bone nonunions, defined as fractures that have failed to heal, and stress fractures, tiny cracks caused by repetitive overuse.
Further research in the 1990s showed that shockwaves have a regenerative effect on soft tissues, making them particularly effective in treating tendon problems such as plantar fasciitis.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain, is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a strong, fibrous attachment that runs from the heel to the toes. Stretchy like a rubber band, the plantar fascia runs along the bottom of the foot, forming the arch and connecting the bones.
When the plantar fascia is overused or stretched too far, plantar fasciitis occurs. The inflammation leads to persistent heel pain. Most people have plantar fasciitis in one foot at a time, but it can affect both feet at once.
The Four Phases of ESWT
Rather than masking symptoms, extracorporeal shockwave therapy activates the body’s healing response at a cellular level. This process occurs in four phases.
- Physical Phase: Shockwaves are generated using a focused shockwave device.
- Physicochemical Phase: Waves travel through the skin and underlying tissue, reaching the targeted area and stimulating the body tissue to initiate signal pathways.
- Chemical Phase: Shockwaves alter ion channels in the cell membrane and mobilize calcium within the cells. This releases proteins called cytokines that act on surrounding tissues, such as blood vessels and the extracellular environment.
- Biological Phase: Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, occurs. This improves blood flow and supports the healing of both bone and soft tissue.
While the science behind ESWT is complex, the procedure itself is simple and quick.
The ESWT Procedure
Once arriving at your podiatrist’s office for treatment, here is what you can typically expect from the procedure.
- You’ll be asked to remove your socks and shoes and lie flat on your stomach on a cushioned table, with your legs supported by a pillow.
- Local anesthesia will be placed in the heel to prevent you from feeling pain.
- The podiatrist will direct sonic waves to the heel, stimulating your body’s healing response.
At The Foot & Ankle Center, this alternative therapy for heel pain only lasts about 30 minutes, and our experts see a short recovery time associated with it.
Reach Out to The Foot & Ankle Center
Your foot condition doesn’t have to hold you back. With its effective pain relief and fast recovery times, ESWT is a transformative treatment option that can help you regain mobility. Reach out to the friendly, knowledgeable podiatrists at The Foot & Ankle Center to see whether ESWT is right for you!
Take the step toward a life without foot pain and limitations. Request an appointment online or call us at (314) 487-9300 to get started!