Shockwave Therapy For Chronic Heel Pain
How many people suffer from heel pain?
According to Science Direct, the world’s leading platform for peer-reviewed literature, heel pain affects about 10% of the population and is highly prevalent in those aged over 65—of whom almost a third are impacted.
Common causes of heel pain:
The most common causes of heel pain are plantar fasciitis—inflammation of the thick, fibrous tissue that starts from the bottom of your heel bone, extending along the sole of the foot towards the toes—Achilles tendonitis, inflammation of the tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscles, and arthritis. The symptoms of each vary but, regardless of the condition, they all make it uncomfortable to walk and stand. Clearly that can have a serious impact on keeping active, something that’s essential to remaining fit and healthy.
The good news is that at Northern Spinal & Sports Injury Clinic, chronic heel pain can be treated with shockwave therapy. It’s a treatment we use for chronic, painful and inflammatory conditions that are usually difficult to treat. What’s more, it delivers quick results—in our experience, patients achieve results, on average, after just 3 sessions but some people say they feel relief in as little as a few days after the first treatment. Better still, shockwave therapy is non-invasive, which means it doesn’t come with the inconvenience and potential complications of surgery.
Shockwave therapy involves holding a probe against the area to be treated and releasing high-energy sound shockwaves through the skin. The controlled and focused way the force penetrates the body stimulates the cells responsible for healing bones and connective tissue, and promotes healing.
It might sound painful but, apart from some initial discomfort, by the end of each session you’ll hardly feel it. And, more importantly, it’s significantly less painful than surgery.