Shockwave therapy is a new non-invasive treatment to treat chronic and painful musculoskeletal conditions that have been sustained for a long time. It’s especially effective in cases where stretching, icing, footwear modification, strapping or orthotics have not relieved 100% of the problem.
It works by transmitting high intensity sound waves from a probe to a localised area. Initially it may feel uncomfortable, however this indicates that the podiatrist is targeting the correct area.
Your podiatrist will apply a gel to the skin and will move the probe to focus on different muscles and areas that are tight or chronically injured. The aim is to increase blood supply and metabolic activity, stimulate a healing response and reduce inflammation and pain. A muscle smoothing effect is achieved by improving the area at a cellular level.
Every individual’s experience is different, but as shockwave therapy stimulates the body’s natural healing process it’s possible to experience some mild soreness, tenderness and swelling.
Shock wave therapy treatment can last between five and ten minutes. You may be required to have additional sessions, depending on your individual condition.
