SPECIAL TREATMENTS
RADIAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
ACUPUNCTURE
ULTRASOUND
RADIAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) is a very successful method of treatment that aids podiatrists to manage a wide range of foot problems. It is the most significant development for treating foot injuries and foot complications to come about in the past 30 years.
How does RSWT work?
The injured area is treated with a series of energy waves (Shockwaves).
These are physical waves NOT electric shocks.
The particular energy form of the wave has a unique stimulating effect and the injured or diseased area then begins to heal.
What types of problems can it help?
It is particularly helpful for patients with chronic pain from injuries that have not responded well to other conservative methods of treatment such as orthotics, medications, injections and physical therapy.
If you suffer from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs or Achilles tendonitis, then it is likely you would find RSWT beneficial.
Are there any side effects with Radial Shockwave Therapy?
As the treatments sessions require no medication, injections, surgery or anaesthesia, there are virtually no side effects.
In some cases, patients may experience some discomfort during treatment along with a small amount of tingling or warmth after the treatment.
What results can I expect?
Obviously, this will vary depending on the condition being treated; how long it has been present; and how severe it is.
The maximum effects of this treatment continue to build in the weeks after the third or fourth session. It may take 8 –12 weeks for the healing to maximize. Most conditions that we treat - provided they don’t have other medical complications - will have a high success rate of 70-80%.
How long will the treatment take?
Between three and six treatments are required for most conditions to be successful. But this will depend mainly on the severity of the condition.
Treatment sessions are given at 5-10 day intervals.
What foot conditions do podiatrists treat with RSWT?
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Heel pain
- Achilles tendonitis
- Shin splints
- Knee pain
- Hip pain
- Hamstring Tendinopathy
What are the benefits to you trying RSWT?
- Non-surgical
- Non-invasive
- No anaesthesia or medication
- Fast resultsHigh success rate (70-80%)
ACUPUNCTURE & DRY NEEDLING
Will Acupuncture help my foot pain?
Many injuries or conditions of the foot and ankle will affect the soft tissues such as ligaments, muscles and tendons. The pain that results can be complicated and difficult to localise, and is often referred to as Myofascial dysfunction. This is when Acupuncture has become an accepted and very effective means to help reduce the pain and promote and improve healing.
What is Dry Needling?
The Method of Dry Needling uses acupuncture needles to treat myofascial dysfunction. Dry needling or intramuscular stimulation (IMS) is very effective at relaxing overactive muscles, which often will have multiple trigger points.
The technique is quite simple and involves inserting ultra-thin acupuncture needles into a muscle's trigger points. No anaesthetic is required. It is not ordinarily a painful process, but it does produce quite dramatic results. Neil often uses dry needling as a complementary treatment to Shockwave Therapy.
Dry needling is based on evidence-based Western medicine. It should not to be confused with the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) technique of acupuncture. However, since the same types of needles are used in both dry needling and acupuncture, confusion about these different techniques is quite common.
THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND
What is Therapeutic Ultrasound?
Therapeutic ultrasound is a healing modality that has been used by podiatrists and other therapists for more than 60 years. Ultrasound is applied using the head of an ultrasound probe that is placed in direct contact with your skin via a water based gel.
The use of Therapeutic ultrasound at City & Lakeside Podiatry practice has been shown to be effective at:
- Increasing the speed of healing
- Assisting tissue relaxation
- Tissue warming
- Improving localised blood flow
- Assisting in breaking down scar tissue.
So how might ultrasound possibly help me?
The effect of applying ultrasound therapy will induce an increase in the local blood flow around the injury (or problematic pain area) and this in turn, will help reduce local swelling and chronic inflammation. According to some studies, it may also promote bone fracture healing. The intensity of the ultrasound treatment is adjusted depending on the area under treatment and the desired effect. A greater power density (measured in watt/cm2) is often used for deeper injuries and in cases where breaking down scar tissue is the goal.
Ultrasound can also be used to achieve phonophoresis. This is a non-invasive way of administering medications to tissues below the skin. With this technique, the ultrasonic energy forces the medication through the skin. Cortisone, used to reduce inflammation, is one of the more commonly used substances delivered in this way.
The most common foot conditions treated with ultrasound include:
- Soft tissue injuries such as tendinitis
- Arch strain
- Ankle sprains
- Non-acute joint swelling and heel pain.
Most muscle and ligament injuries can benefit from therapeutic ultrasound. Scar tissue on the foot can be a painful problem; ultrasound can assist with the management of chronic scar issues.