Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is an innovative treatment using high-energy acoustic waves to heal and relieve pain, particularly for chronic issues. It stimulates blood flow, accelerates tissue repair, and offers non-surgical pain management. This therapy is beneficial for conditions like Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendinopathy.
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is an innovative medical approach that utilises high acoustic waves to enhance healing and alleviate pain, proving to be a successful treatment for chronic tendon discomfort. This therapy involves sending a sequence of shockwaves to the targeted area which boosts blood circulation, speeds up tissue recovery, and diminishes as a component of non-surgical pain management solutions. waves are beneficial for pain relief, injury prevention, and healing, making them especially useful addressing musculoskeletal issues such as Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendinopathy.
Why have shockwave therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment used to help reduce pain, stimulate healing and improve function in stubborn soft tissue injuries.
At Yorkshire Foot Clinic, we use shockwave therapy to treat conditions such as heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy and other persistent tendon or soft tissue problems.
It can be a great option if your pain has not improved with rest, footwear changes, stretching, insoles or other conservative treatments.
Stimulates the body's natural healing response
Shockwave therapy helps encourage blood flow, tissue repair and a healing response in the affected area.
Non-invasive
There are no needles, no surgery and usually no downtime, meaning most patients can return to normal daily activities straight away.
Quick treatment sessions
Appointments are usually short and straightforward, with treatment often taking around 10–20 minutes.
Usually completed within 3-6 sessions
Most treatment plans involve a course of shockwave sessions, often spaced weekly, depending on your condition and response to treatment.
Treatment Steps
1. Shockwave Therapy
Your podiatrist will apply shockwave therapy directly to the painful area using a handheld device. This delivers acoustic pressure waves into the soft tissue to help stimulate healing, reduce pain and improve function.
2. Sports Taping
Where needed, sports taping may be applied after treatment to support the foot, ankle or lower limb. This can help reduce strain on the painful area and improve comfort between sessions.
3. Aftercare Advice
You will receive personalised aftercare advice from your podiatrist, including guidance on activity levels, footwear, heat application, stretches and strengthening exercises to support your recovery.
What to Expect After Shockwave Therapy?
After shockwave therapy, most patients can return to normal daily activities straight away.
The treatment is non-invasive, so there are no needles, no cuts and usually no downtime.
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You may feel some tenderness, aching or sensitivity in the treated area for 24–48 hours. Mild redness, swelling or bruising can also occur, but this usually settles quickly.
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Some patients notice an improvement after the first session, while others feel the benefits gradually over several weeks as the body’s natural healing response develops.
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For best results, we usually recommend avoiding high-impact exercise or heavy loading of the treated area for around 48 hours after treatment.
Shockwave therapy works best as part of a full treatment plan, which may include strengthening exercises, footwear advice, orthotics or changes to activity levels.
Success Rate of Shockwave Therapy for plantar fasciitis
Research shows that shockwave therapy can be an effective treatment for persistent plantar fasciitis, helping to reduce heel pain and improve function.
Success rates vary between studies, but many report improvement in a significant number of patients. Some studies show success rates up to 88%, depending on the treatment protocol, severity of symptoms and how long the condition has been present.
NHS clinical outcome data is also encouraging. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital reports an audited success rate of around 75–80% for patients treated with shockwave therapy for heel pain.
It is important to remember that shockwave therapy is not an instant “quick fix”. Some patients feel improvement after the first session, but for many people the benefits build gradually over several weeks as the body’s natural healing response develops.
For best results, shockwave therapy is usually combined with a full treatment plan, including strengthening exercises, footwear advice, load management and addressing the underlying cause of the heel pain.
Is Shockwave right for you?
Who is shockwave therapy for?
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Shockwave therapy may be suitable for people with ongoing tendon, muscle or soft tissue pain that has not fully improved with rest, exercises, footwear changes or other conservative treatment.
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It is commonly used for conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, heel pain, patellar tendinopathy, tennis elbow and other persistent tendon-related problems.
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Shockwave therapy is often recommended when pain has become more long-term and is affecting walking, exercise, work or daily activities.
Who may not be suitable for shockwave therapy?
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Shockwave therapy is not suitable for everyone. It may not be recommended if you are pregnant, have an active infection, open wound or skin problem over the treatment area, have a tumour or cancer in the area, or have a significant bleeding disorder.
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Please let your clinician know if you take blood-thinning medication, have a pacemaker or implanted medical device, have reduced sensation, have had a recent steroid injection, recent surgery, a fracture, or any other medical condition that may affect treatment.
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Before starting treatment, we will complete a full assessment and screening process to make sure shockwave therapy is safe and appropriate for you.