Shockwave Treatment For Foot And Leg Pain | Remuera Podiatrist

Here at Perform Podiatry, it’s important to us to not only use an evidence-based treatment plan to help you get the best outcomes for your foot and leg pain, but to help you see the best results in the shortest time by using innovative podiatric technology. That’s the reason we’ve invested in shockwave treatment - alongside other treatments like laser to help relieve pain and inflammation, PACT antifungal therapy, and more.

Does Shockwave Really Work?

This is a fantastic question - and one that’s important to ask when any clinic introduces a new product or service. Shockwave has actually been extensively used for almost 30 years in the medical setting - so while it may be new for our clinic, it is currently being used extensively by podiatrists and physiotherapists around the world. 

To answer your question - yes, there is a multitude of research that shows the efficacy of shockwave in helping support healing and repair of muscles, tendons, ligament and bone injuries. We’ll describe some below. Having this data and evidence was incredibly important for Hanan and our team to make the decision to offer shockwave in our clinic, and we’re extremely satisfied and proud with the results we’re seeing.

How Does Shockwave Work?

In a nutshell, shockwave uses soundwaves to stimulate the body’s natural healing and repair process. The device has a handpiece that is pressed against the skin by your podiatrist, and when this happens (over a specific region where tendon or tissue damage is present), the acoustic waves penetrate down and produce its beneficial effects. These include increasing the blood flow to the area, and stimulating the production of both growth factors and stem cells, which play important roles in helping repair the damage, as well as growing new blood vessels in the area. Shockwave also works to reduce the inflammation markers in the targeted area, which means that our patients experience less pain and more comfortable movement - with these effects starting pretty quickly.

So what can you expect with shockwave? While we’ve already shared an overview of our podiatry shockwave service here, here’s a look into the studies and clinical evidence surrounding shockwave in the areas our podiatrists practice in, so you can better understand the benefits you may stand to gain by adding shockwave to your rehabilitation plan.

Using Shockwave For Pain At The Back Of Your Heel (Achilles Pain)

If you have an injury to your Achilles tendon, we have some good news. Shockwave has repeatedly demonstrated good results for both new (acute) injuries, as well as ongoing chronic injuries that have been problematic for our clients for over three months - or even those that keep coming and going over many years. When we look at the research and data:

• There is a high level of evidence for efficacy when it comes to using shockwave for chronic Achilles tendinopathy. A review of the evidence found several randomised placebo-controlled trials which confirm shockwave’s excellent results with regards to function and pain. The simple version: compared to a placebo (no) treatment, several studies have looked at what happens when shockwave is used on Achilles pain that has been long-lasting and found it overall produces excellent results.
  
• Shockwave has contributed to both “excellent” and “good” result categories after both 3 and 12 months for chronic non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. The simple version: for Achilles pain that has been around for a while and is classified as ‘non-insertional’ (so a little further up the Achilles tendon), studies have classed the results of shockwave into both the excellent and good result categories.
  
• When shockwave is paired with an eccentric loading exercise program, 82% of participants fell into the “completely recovered” or “much improved” categories for their chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy, a higher result than compared to the loading program alone. The simple version: over 4 in 5 people that had shockwave treatment and followed a specific loading-based exercise plan at home either completely recovered from their Achilles tendinopathy, or their pain and symptoms were much improved.
  
• A systematic review on the effectiveness of shockwave on chronic achilles tendinopathy showed that it could produce short-term pain-relieving effects and long-term increased blood flow, both of which improve outcome measures. The simple version: shockwave is able to produce both short term effects that reduce or relieve pain, as well as long term effects that support blood flow to the area. Either way, it helps support your recovery and healthy Achilles function.
  
• Despite some gaps in the knowledge as published in literature, shockwave therapy is a safe, well-tolerated treatment modality for Achilles tendinopathy. The simple version: as with any treatment, there’s always going to be some things we don’t know until the research is completed. But from all the research that has been completed, shockwave has proven to be safe and a straightforward treatment for many with Achilles pain.
  
• The National Institute of Health Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK has declared shockwave to be safe and that it has demonstrated positive results. The simple version: a very important organisation that supports safe and effective healthcare proactive across many health professions finds shockwave safe and effective, at least to some degree.
  

Using Shockwave For Plantar Fasciitis Heel Pain 

At the end of 2021, a large systematic review came out that evaluated the best management approach to pain at the bottom of the pain. It reviewed 51 trials that included 10 different methods of treatment - with shockwave being one of them. The results were that radial shockwave can and should be recommended to help with first-step pain in both the short-term and the long-term. The other therapies that were found to be very helpful in managing heel pain were stretches, taping, patient education and custom foot orthotics - all of which we offer here at Perform Podiatry, too.

• Shockwave is effective for plantar fasciitis across different time points from the first date of treatment, taking into consideration a person’s pain, function and quality of life. The simple version: from when you first start treatment, the effects of shockwave are still effective and beneficial at different points in the future, which depend on some of your unique factors.
  
• This study found no side effects with shockwave, and superior results compared to a placebo for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis, even at 12 months after treatment. The simple version: even a year on from your treatment, shockwave is unlikely to cause you any unwanted side effects.
  

Shockwave for Knee Pain

When it comes to knee pain, the research is also promising, although the knee has been studied less extensively.

• A systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that shockwave significantly reduces pain and improves function in patients with knee osteoarthritis for up to 12 months, and with only minor complications occurring after the treatment. The simple version: if you have knee osteoarthritis, shockwave is likely to support you experiencing less pain and greater movement for the year following the treatment, with or without some minor complications.
  
• Alongside pain reduction and movement enhancement, research has shown that shockwave has beneficial effects on cartilage and subchondral bone alterations associated with osteoarthritis progression. The simple version: while osteoarthritis naturally causes changes to your bones and cartilage, treatment with shockwave may have beneficial effects in these areas.
  
• Incorporating shockwave as part of a rehabilitation program following ACL reconstruction surgery has been found to improve joint function, pain relief and ability of daily living in the short term. The simple version: if you’ve had an ACL reconstruction surgery, shockwave can help you feel a lot more comfortable in the short-term.
  

To sum it up?

There’s a large, growing body of evidence for how shockwave is helping people get better outcomes for their foot and leg pain, faster. Our patients are loving the results they’re experiencing so far, and so are we - and we’ve been doing this for decades.

Making an appointment for shockwave actually starts with having an assessment for your pain and injury to understand your diagnosis and why your injury has occurred. From here, we’ll discuss your treatment options, and if this includes shockwave.

You can book your first appointment online here, or call us on (09) 523 2333 to speak with our receptionist team.

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