By Bryce Paschold, DPM, Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center
Are you skeptical when a new “improved” device or some “amazing” new technology hits the streets? These are natural thoughts until there is valid, reliable evidence showing that a new procedure or product does indeed produce the desired result. When it comes to pain or injury relief, people are often willing to try anything in the hope that it will work. Have you heard of shockwave therapy? Shockwave therapy, often called extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), is a treatment method, backed by solid, scientific evidence, that is very successful in treating overuse injuries, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and, in fact, any tendinitis found throughout the body.
Just what is extracorporeal shockwave therapy? It is a noninvasive method that uses short, intense, high-energy acoustic waves (shockwaves) to deliver a mechanical force to the body’s tissues. You may be familiar with ESWT, as this has been around since the 1990’s. ESWT was first used to help break up kidney stones, and was later found to be effective in treating soft tissue injuries. Some of you reading this may have been treated with an older form of shockwave therapy years ago, which is much different than the newer, improved version. The difference is in the energy level. The old version used a high-level amount of energy, which was very painful, whereas the newer version uses a lower amount of energy. This makes the treatment much more tolerable and does not require anesthesia.
The low-energy version ESWT is used in orthopedic practices primarily to treat soft tissue injuries. Most of the evidence relates to its use for plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. In fact, in separate articles published by the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, plantar fasciitis and achilles tendinitis were found to be significantly improved in 75 to 80 percent of the patients, even after one year post-treatment. In addition, ESWT has been found to increase bony healing, therefore increasing the healing in stress fractures and delayed or non-union fractures. There has been an extensive amount of research done on all of these conditions, with positive outcomes seen in the vast majority of problems successfully treated with ESWT, with no adverse events noted.
How does ESWT work? It is believed that the shockwaves cause a controlled injury, or microtrauma, to the soft tissue or bone, which in turn creates an increase in blood flow and healing factors, as well as stimulating the formation of new blood vessels. This increase in blood flow then increases the rate of healing to the affected area. In addition, it is thought to perhaps change a chronic condition into an acute one, therefore “tricking” the body into thinking that there is a new injury, which can re-stimulate the healing process.
Some benefits to ESWT are that it is completely safe to use while training or while playing sports. Unlike injections or even surgery, no time off from sports or exercise is needed while undergoing ESWT. This is especially useful in competitive athletes who are struggling with pain during the middle of their season. ESWT is generally performed in weekly intervals for three to four weeks total. One session of ESWT usually takes approximately 10 minutes per treatment, and this technology is performed in the comfort of an office setting.
So, next time you or someone you know is struggling with one of these chronic conditions or an overuse sports injury, ask your doctor if shockwave therapy may be right for you!
Dr. Bryce Paschold, DPM, provides a complete range of foot and ankle services for patients of any age, including performing shockwave therapy. He is board certified and subspecializes in foot and ankle sports medicine. For any foot or ankle-related problem, no matter how big or small, please feel free to contact Dr. Paschold at the Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center (OSEC) at 309-663-9300, visit their Facebook page, or check out their website at www.sportsenhancement.net. OSEC offers shockwave therapy for all warranted conditions.