What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel/foot pain. There is a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes called the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis is when this band becomes inflamed. (source)
It often causes a stabbing pain that typically occurs with your first steps when you get up in the morning. As you start to move, the pain normally decreases, but can return after long periods of standing or when you stand up after sitting.
Our EPAT (aka Shockwave) device is a perfect treatment! In this post I’m giving my top 3 reasons why EPAT is such a great tool for overcome plantar fasciitis.
What is EPAT?
EPAT therapy works by directing bursts of high-pressure sound waves through the skin to target the desired musculoskeletal tissue. This is an evidence-based treatment that gets to the root of your pain, facilitating healing and accelerating your recovery. EPAT improves your body’s regenerative potential, rather than further damaging an area that has degenerated because of poor blood flow, tissue injury, overuse or weakness.
Top 3 reasons why EPAT is great for treating Plantar Fasciitis
1. Breaks up Scar Tissue
Chronic plantar fasciitis or plantar fasciitis lasting longer than six months will typically result in the formation of scar tissue. This can result in decreased blood supply to the area. The presence of this scar tissue can affect the body’s ability to fully resolve the issue resulting in continued pain and discomfort. Utilizing EPAT therapy, we can break up this scar tissue and allow the body to heal utilizing its own natural inflammatory response.
2. Increases Circulation
The feet tend to receive poor oxygenated blood flow compared to the rest of the body. This often results in slower recovery time from injury. Utilizing EPAT therapy, we can target the affected tissue to increase circulation and stimulate new blood vessel formation to speed up recovery.
3. Fast Results
In a 2010 randomized controlled trial published in Foot Ankle International, the official journal of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, significant reduction in pain was reported in patients receiving radial EPAT treatment compared to a placebo group after just two sessions. A typical treatment plan for plantar fasciitis with EPAT will consist of three to four treatment sessions. These sessions are performed once a week with each session taking around 10 minutes. Considering how long sufferers of chronic plantar fasciitis would have been dealing with this debilitating condition, results like these are extremely exciting.
Don’t just take our word for it! A 2013 Meta-Analysis of seven randomized-controlled trials published in the peer reviewed medical journal, Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research, concluded EPAT therapy to be safe and effective in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis.
Research cited in this blog can be viewed in its entirety by visiting the following link: https://www.curamedix.com/epat-eswt-clinical-evidence-orthopedics/. Here you will find more information on EPAT therapy. Additionally, there are great patient testimonials and other clinical research.
For more information and FAQs, you can also visit the EPAT page of our website.
If you are experiencing pain in your foot it is important to get it checked out. You can schedule a free evaluation by clicking the button below!
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