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Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain in the country; in fact, approximately two million Americans are treated for this condition each year. Today Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC in New Haven County and Fairfield County are sharing.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
This condition typically develops when the fan-shaped tissue located in the bottom of the foot (the plantar fascia) becomes inflamed. This dense belt of connective tissue connects your toes to the heel bone and also helps preserve the shape of your foot arch.
So, when it becomes strained because of plantar fasciitis, it produces a sharp, stabbing pain that is usually worse first thing in the morning when taking your first steps. Since the pain tends to diminish as the day goes on, many people ignore the pain.
But the longer this condition goes untreated; the more likely the pain is to become chronic and eventually impact your walking.
Shockwave Therapy For Plantar Fasciitis
In the past, if conservative treatment options didn’t work, patients were limited to steroid injections, invasive surgeries, or custom orthotics for plantar fasciitis. However, these cannot be used over the long-term as they can weaken the tendon. Custom orthotics can help relieve pain associated with plantar fasciitis if worn as prescribed.
Luckily, there’s a new, non-invasive FDA-approved treatment for this condition called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT). This state-of-the-art treatment is less risky than surgery and doesn’t require a long recovery period.
It is a gentle, quick, non-surgical treatment that helps alleviate heel pain from plantar fasciitis. ESWT is both effective and safe. It has been approved by the FDA and boasts one of the highest levels of effectiveness of any current treatment for this condition.
If you would like to know more about conditions that can be treated with shockwave therapy, contact the offices of Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello, at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC in New Haven County and Fairfield County to schedule an appointment.