Soft tissue pain can be physically debilitating for many, as it limits your range of motion, mobility, and activity, all of which affect your quality of life. From sports injuries to chronic foot pain, our podiatrists focus on providing corrective treatments for various foot and lower limb conditions to help keep people active and healthy throughout their lives. For soft tissue damage and other painful conditions, our radial shockwave therapy treatment using the EnPuls system can increase blood circulation, heal damaged tissues, and relieve pain.
What is Radial Shockwave Therapy?
Radial Shockwave Therapy uses kinetic energy to target the damaged tissues and is an FDA approved technology that enhances blood circulation, treat soft tissue pain, and improve tissue tone. The technology is derived from lithotripsy, a medical procedure using shockwaves to break down kidney stones without invasive surgery. The Enpuls shockwave system accelerates the electromagnetic transfer of kinetic energy to impact energy at the targeted tissues and provides a highly effective solution for chronic foot, heel, and ankle pain. This system also includes analog scales to track pain progression and provide relief over time through continuous treatment.
How Does Radial Shockwave Therapy Work?
Radial Pulse Shockwave Therapy focuses on three aspects of healing: cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Because of cells’ nature, cells continuously grow, divide, and degeneration over time, known as proliferation. Cells also have the function of removing cancerous and virus-infected cells to maintain the body’s balance, called apoptosis. During an injury, the depletion of oxygen and the protective membrane surrounding the cells lead to these cells’ death. When this occurs, new blood vessels grow in the injury site, known as angiogenesis, which aids in the healing process for various injuries and conditions. During new blood vessel growth, the platelets in the blood release chemicals to attract cells to the injury site and support cell growth.
When the Enpuls system’s kinetic energy targets the tissue, the energy triggers the natural healing process by causing microtrauma to the area, activating the body’s natural response to heal the affected area. The new inflammatory response that it creates has much helped those who suffer from chronic pain and can treat various conditions, including:
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Diabetic Wounds
- Shin Splints
- Soft tissue damage
- Sports injuries
How is Radial Shockwave Therapy Performed?
Radial Shockwave Therapy only takes as little as five minutes to perform and is performed once a week for a gradual recovery. Our podiatrists at Appalachian Foot & Ankle Associates use the Enpuls system, using a mass applicator to maintain long pulses. Your podiatrist will move the ballistic waves over the affected area in slow, circular motions. No anesthesia is required for treatment, and your physician will monitor the energy levels produced to maximize your comfort to lead towards a successful therapy session.
Depending on your condition, the sessions will range in between 4 to 7 sessions in total for the affected area. After each session, the patient will be given a week to monitor their healing and recover from the treatment.
Why Choose Appalachian Foot & Ankle Associates?
Radial Shockwave Therapy with the Enpuls System has a proven success rate that removes the need for surgery and maintains no risks. Our in-office treatment will provide you with lasting comfort that helps negate chronic pain and leaves you healed. Our podiatrists will help you through your chronic foot and ankle pain and will be available for any questions before and after treatment. To see if radial shockwave therapy can help relieve your pain, contact Appalachian Foot & Ankle Associates at 828-277-8042 to schedule your appointment at either our Asheville, NC and Marion, NC locations.
