Medical breakthroughs keep hope alive in patients worldwide who suffer from annoying to life-threatening conditions and disease.
Shocking? Well, in this case, yes.
Scientists began researching non-invasive Shockwave therapy in the late ’60s with the hope that kidney stones and gallstones could be disintegrated without damaging surrounding tissue. It would be another 20 years before a doctor in Munich would perform the first successful stone fragmentation in a human. The Shock Wave Lithotripter was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1984. Practitioners noticed that the treatment appeared to increase bone density in nearby bones and began to explore its use for orthopedic treatments.
The US National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health released its first abstract on the benefits of Extracorporeal Pulse Activated Therapy (EPAT) for the treatment of plantar fasciitis in 2012. The researchers concluded that results of EPAT treatment on patients with chronic recalcitrant plantar fasciitis, in particular, patients with chronic symptoms for more than 12 months, showed improvement EPAT treatment effectively decreased plantar fascia thickness and patient pain.
Podiatry Associates, P.C. introduced this new EPAT technology into the practice in 2018. Because foot and heel pain is typically caused by plantar fasciitis, patients suffering from this condition are thrilled to learn that relief from pain is as close as three treatments away. Some patients report improvement after only one treatment others report the pain subsided after 4 weeks. Overall, 80% of patients report they are pain free or enjoy significant pain reduction after treatment.
Sessions take less than 10 minutes and on average patients undergo three weekly treatments.
Extracorporeal means non-invasive. No anesthesia is involved. Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology is the most advanced treatment being used today in lieu of surgery. That eliminates the requirement of rehab after surgery, and patients are able to bear their weight immediately and can return to their normal activity within a few days of the EPAT treatment.
Other benefits of the unique EPAT treatment is that it stimulates the metabolism, enhances blood circulation and accelerates the healing process. The damaged tissue gradually regenerates and eventually heals.
Contact Podiatry Associates, P.C. today for an appointment to discuss EPAT treatment for plantar fasciitis. With offices in Parker, Cherry Creek, Castle Pines and Aurora, treatment we’re located near where you live or work.