Plantar Fasciitis and Therapeutic Ultrasound

If you are struggling with chronic plantar fasciitis, therapeutic ultrasound treatment may provide an effective solution for breaking down scar tissue and improving blood circulation in your heel region. This non-surgical procedure targets and breaks up the scar tissue while also enhancing the flow of blood to this specific area of your foot. By promoting healing and restoring proper blood flow, therapeutic ultrasound treatment can bring relief to those suffering from plantar fasciitis.

If you’ve tried various treatments for your pain but haven’t found relief, it may be worth considering chiropractic therapy. Many patients have experienced positive results with this non-invasive approach. Chiropractic care focuses on alleviating pain, improving flexibility, and enhancing overall well-being. By addressing the root causes of your discomfort, chiropractic therapy aims to provide long-term relief and improve the quality of your life.

What is Ultrasound Therapy?

Ultrasound Therapy is a widely recognized and highly effective treatment method administered by physical therapists. It is a safe and painless procedure that aims to alleviate soft tissue injuries and expedite the healing process. Additionally, this therapy is known to reduce pain levels and minimize the formation of scar tissue. With its noninvasive nature, Ultrasound Therapy has proven to be beneficial for numerous patients seeking optimal recovery outcomes.

Therapeutic ultrasound uses a handheld probe paired with gel or topical anti-inflammatory medications to target areas of pain or injury on your body. A practitioner uses vibration to deliver sound waves into tissue layers using soundwave technology.

Thermal ultrasounds can warm deep tissues to reduce pain, increase blood flow and speed healing in injured areas. Their energy can also loosen tight muscles and tendons for faster recovery.

Mechanical ultrasounds use small bubbles that expand and contract to break down scar tissue and promote soft-tissue healing, often used to treat sprains and strains.

How Does Ultrasound Work?

Plantar fasciitis can often be treated effectively through conservative means such as stretching, wearing appropriate orthotic inserts, rest and icing. If these methods don’t seem to help, your podiatrist may suggest ultrasound therapy as another possible solution.

Ultrasound therapy uses targeted sound waves from a hollow needle to penetrate painful adhesions and scar tissue in the heel and plantar fascia, alleviating chronic pain and inflammation while helping the body heal itself.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy may be an ideal choice for patients who have not responded well to other therapies or do not wish for surgery, boosting blood supply to injured areas for better healing and speedy healing.

Does Ultrasound Work for Plantar Fasciitis?

Ultrasound therapy is a noninvasive and therapeutic procedure used for various conditions that cause discomfort. It has proven particularly helpful for the treatment of superficial foot injuries, musculoskeletal issues and tendonitis.

Sound waves are used to induce a deep heating effect within the tissues, increasing elasticity, increasing circulation to tissues, decreasing pain levels and speeding up the natural healing process.

Studies have demonstrated that ultrasound treatment can significantly decrease plantar fasciitis pain and enhance function; however, their quality remains relatively poor.

Ultrasound therapy for plantar fasciitis relies on its intensity and parameters, which may vary based on the tissue being treated. Although therapeutic ultrasound may have a beneficial impact on pain management and function, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) must first be completed to establish its efficacy in treating plantar fasciitis.

What are the Risks of Ultrasound Therapy?

Recent clinical research suggests that therapeutic ultrasound, or “RSW,” may help alleviate plantar fasciitis pain in its patients. RSW provides an effective and safe option for individuals not willing to undergo surgery as well as those whose conservative treatments such as stretching, wearing appropriate orthotic inserts and resting their feet have failed.

The study evaluated RSW as an intervention against other noninvasive therapies such as focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy, radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), noninvasive interactive neurostimulation (NIN), and pulsed radiofrequency treatment (RFT). Results indicate that RSW is most effective overall intervention for relieving plantar fasciitis pain relief followed by LLLT and NIN therapies.

RSW (radiofrequency shearwave) therapy and ultrasound technology may be the first choice in many healthcare centers if conservative measures have failed you, particularly if they involve conservative measures like orthotic inserts, icing, rest and restorative footwear – however in the meantime it would be prudent to consult your podiatrist for additional tips and strategies.