Surgery is often the last recourse when addressing several foot conditions, your podiatrist will usually attempt a less invasive option first, and this is where shockwave therapy has proven the most effective. When at-home care and conservative treatments don't show the results that neither you nor your doctor hopes for are when shockwave therapy is often prescribed. But there's a lot to know about the therapy that is best discussed with your podiatrist, so to learn more get in contact with Dr. Michael Stein, Dr. Phillip Milgram, and Dr. Zeineldin Ahmad of Foot Doctor of the East Bay with offices in San Leandro, Pleasanton, and Los Gatos, CA.

Conservative Care

Many times you may be able to treat simple conditions at home, like mild sprains and general heel pain. For these early symptoms, the generally recommended course of action has four parts: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Not overusing the injured limb immediately after trauma is common sense, but rest should typically only last until the pain has ceased and regular range of motion has returned, with preferably a doctor's okay.

Ice, compression, and elevation can all help to minimize inflammation and thus reduce pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can further assist in this. But just as rest is initially important, so is activity to completely recover. To accomplish this, your podiatrist may recommend physical therapy.

At this point, your doctor may also turn to custom orthotics or other professional procedures to bring you relief. When none of these conservative treatments can achieve it is typically when your doctor may suggest surgery. But this is also when shockwave therapy can help.

Shockwave Therapy in San Leandro, Pleasanton, and Los Gatos, CA

Shockwave therapy refers to a treatment that delivers pulses of energy to affected muscles and tendons to accelerate the body's natural healing. If effective, and accompanied by physical therapy, it may delay or eliminate the need for surgical intervention. It is a safe procedure but your podiatrist can best advise you on possible risks, a common one is when patients return to their regular activities too quickly.

To find out if you are a candidate for shockwave therapy make an appointment today with Dr. Stein, Dr. Milgram, and Dr. Ahmad of Foot Doctor of the East Bay by dialing (510) 483-3390 for San Leandro, CA, (925) 425-9684 for the Pleasanton, CA, office, and (408) 356-6767 for Los Gatos, CA.