Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) has emerged as a common and effective treatment plan. This is especially true for inflammatory injuries of the foot and ankle. It particularly is useful to treat Achilles tendinitis. Whether you're suffering with an acute injury or it has become a more chronic pain. ESWT is effective to treat Achilles tendinitis. This is the case whether you're suffering with an acute injury or it has become a more chronic pain. Shockwave Therapy has become a very popular treatment option for Achilles tendon pain. It is available for patients in our Houston podiatry practice.

What is Achilles Tendinitis?

Houston podiatrist treats Achilles tendon pain using shockwave therapyAchilles tendinitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon. The muscles that comprise the Achilles tendon start above the knee. It travels down the back of the leg and inserts into the heel bone. The Achilles tendon is one of the strongest tendons in the body. Every step you take causes tension on the tendon which pulls on the heel. The pain that you feel is due to the inflammation of the tendon where it attaches to your heel. It is a very common condition in patients with both flat feet and high arched feet. Both of these foot types cause tension on the Achilles tendon.

Non-Surgical Treatment of Achilles Tendinitis

More often than not, Achilles tendinitis responds to conservative treatment. These can include anti-inflammatory medication, custom orthotics , night splints, stretching, and physical therapy. We cannot use cortisone injections to treat the Achilles tendon. Steroid injections put the tendon at risk for rupture. Most treatments for Achilles tendinitis provides pain relief. That relief is often temporary. That's because these treatments reduce the inflammation but do not treat the underlying problem.

Using Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy to Treat Achilles Tendinitis without Medicine

Houston podiatrist treats Achilles tendon pain with shockwave therapyESWT is an effective noninvasive treatment to treat acute and chronic Achilles tendinitis. It is a treatment option that has high success rates. In my Houston podiatry office, we treat patients with radial shock wave therapy. The best thing about ESWT is that it can cure your Achilles tendinitis. It does so without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injections, or surgery. There are no side effects or risk from the treatment. It is completely non-invasive and is not a painful procedure.

Treating posterior heel pain using extracorporeal shock wave therapy is a conservative therapy. Shockwave therapy sends thousands of shockwaves through the tissue into the inflamed area. There is no pain with shockwave therapy. If the procedure becomes uncomfortable, I reduce the intensity to reduce the discomfort. Some patients feel pain reduction after the treatment. For others, it takes a few days to experience relief

How Does Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Work For Chronic Soft Tissue Pain?

Many conservative treatments for long-standing Achilles tendinitis are not successful. That is because the condition has been present for months, even years, and the body now sees the injury as normal. ESWT fixes that by converting a chronic tendinitis into an acute injury. This is done by increasing the blood flow to the injured area with the application of acoustic waves. Once this happens, your body recognizes the injury as acute. It then directs resources to heal the injury.

That is why Shockwave Therapy is considered to be a form of regenerative medicine. It enhances the body's ability to heal damaged tissue. When that happens, you end up with a stronger and permanent resolution to the injury.

Is Radial Shock Wave Therapy a Substitute for Foot Surgery?

Very few cases of Achilles Tendinitis end up treated with surgery. The treatment of the Achilles tendon is usually successful with nonoperative treatments. Shockwave therapy is very effective in treating Achilles tendinitis. It is an effective alternative to surgery. ESWT works great as a first-line therapy for Achilles tendon pain. The clinical outcome speak for itself.

Why Choose Shockwave Therapy for Achilles Tendinitis

There are many benefits to choosing ESWT as a treatment for Achilles tendon pain. These include:

  • Success rates with Shockwave Therapy are predictable and consistent. It works for Achilles tendon pain, plantar fasciitis, and other causes of foot pain and ankle pain.

  • Treatment is successful for all forms of Achilles tendinitis. Both in the tendon and where the tendon inserts into the heel bone.

  • In most cases, there is no need for medication, injections, or invasive surgery

  • There are very few risk factors with ESWT

  • There is a short recovery time to allow you to get back to your activities

  • Little activity modification is needed, although I may ask you to cross train for a short time.

What to Expect When You Come In for a Shockwave Treatment

When you come to the office for a radial extracorporeal shock wave treatment session, I'll perform physical examination. This will allow me to come up with the proper clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinitis. The good news is that the initial treatment can be performed immediately. I'll identify the area of greatest discomfort. I'll start by focusing the shockwave treatments on that area.

The second step is to treat the adjacent connective tissues. For instance, if I'm treating Achilles tendinitis, I'll focus on the tissue in your calf. Finally, I'll treat all the tissue with a vibration treatment. This enhances the tissue recovery.

How to Learn More about Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave Therapy is always available to all patients in our Houston podiatry practice. Are you looking for a treatment option where you can continue your daily activities without pain? All while maintaining your same activity level? Then shockwave therapy the right choice for you. Contact us at 713-785-7881 or request an appointment online. We look forward to seeing you.