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What is the condition?
Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the fascia at the feet pulls on its insertion at the heel. This pulling causes irritation and inflammation which then cause pain to you when you put weight onto your heel. This condition is called plantar fasciitis.
How do get it?
There are many mechanisms that cause plantar fasciitis. Some of them are:
- Overuse
- Abnormal feet posture (overpronation or over supination)
- Tightness at the calves and foot muscles
- Abnormal gait pattern
- Being overweight
- Sudden increase in activity levels
- Bad fitting footwear
What problems does it cause?
The worst effect of plantar fasciitis is that you will have pain with every step you take. This sharp pain can really affect your activity levels because the pain will be present during sports and during your normal walking.
Leaving this condition alone is not advisable. The pulling at the heel will continue and eventually a bone spur at the insertion may develop which may require surgical intervention to treat.
What is this treatment?
Shockwave therapy is often remarkably successful in treating the condition. In combination with manual therapy and exercise therapy, we get good results with our patients presenting with plantar fasciitis. It is one of the only treatments that help with the inflammation at the insertion of the fascia. It has also been shown to be effective in treating bone spurs.
How does it work?
The treatment is aimed at increasing blood flow to the injured area. Because the insertion of the fascia inherently does not possess a lot of blood supply, healing does not happen readily. Increasing blood flow to the injured area helps to reduce the inflammation and allow for healing to happen.
What is the process of getting this treatment like?
If you are a suitable candidate, your therapist will recommend shockwave therapy for your treatment. During shockwave therapy, you will feel a strong rapid tapping sensation in the area that is being treated. If the area treated is particularly bony, then it may be a little painful. Most patients tolerate it very well.
Any post-procedure pain or downtime? What is the aftercare like?
There are no downtimes. You can resume your routine activities immediately. Though rare, there may be some bruising and discomfort after the treatment. You can ice the area if this is the case.
What results to expect?
While some patients report improvements immediately after 1 session, up to 6 weekly sessions are required for the full benefits and healing effects of the treatment..