Innovative Treatment for Heel Pain

Park Ridge Woman Enjoys Long Walks and Pretty Sandals Again After Sonic Shockwave Treatment for Heel Pain

For Park Ridge resident Mary Murphy, 44, walking her kids to school and wearing pretty sandals have taken on a whole new meaning. For years, Mary’s plantar fasciitis (heel pain) was so intense that she gave up doing the active things she loved and resorted to wearing “old Grandma shoes” at home and at work. Since receiving a successful, non-invasive treatment called sonic shockwave therapy at the Weil Foot & Ankle Institute, she is back to her two-mile walks, working part-time and running after three children. And, she is back in her pretty summer sandals again.

An estimated two million Americans a year and 10% of the population during their lifetime will experience plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick fibrous band of connective tissue on the bottom surface of the heel bone and extending along the sole of the foot towards the toes. Its primary symptom is pain on the underside of the heel which is typically most severe first thing in the morning. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain and can be successfully treated in a variety of ways.

“I used to love power walking for long distances with my girlfriends,” Mary explains. “I also worked for many years standing in the front office of a hotel, often 10-12 hours a day. I walked and worked as long as I could with the pain until one day I just couldn’t take it any more.”

According to Dr. Gregory Amarantos, a board-certified podiatric surgeon at the Weil Foot & Ankle Institute (WFAI) specializing in foot and ankle conditions, Mary fits the new demographic of plantar fasciitis sufferers. “We’re seeing more heel pain patients who are baby boomers and even younger,” he explains. “One reason for the significant increase in heel pain, is this younger generation’s interest in aerobic exercise, including running, tennis and other sports. Most women don’t want to take a break from their sport to nurse an injury so they end up with a full blown case of plantar fasciitis.” Dr. Amarantos and other podiatrists at WFAI also point to an increase in obesity, which puts extraordinary pressure on the feet. Others at risk for plantar fasciitis include: runners, golfers and other fitness-minded people who overdue their activities; laborers, hospitality, retail and manufacturing industry workers who stand for long periods in non-supportive shoes; people with tight calf muscles or Achilles tendons; wearers of “outdoor slippers” and other non-supportive shoes.

Dr. Amarantos and the team of physicians at Weil Foot & Ankle Institute recommend the following for preventing heel pain:

• Keep the body fit by regular walking and gentle weight-bearing exercise.
• Maintain a sensible weight.
• Athletes: beware of over-doing it.
• Warm up and cool down. The importance of stretching is paramount.
• Wear supportive shoes, preferably with good arch supports.
• Don't put off treating your heel pain. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to find relief.
• Stretch your feet after getting out of bed in the morning or do some gentle calf and Achilles stretches.
• Use supportive shoe inserts.

For Mary, her solution came after her heel pain was unresponsive to several different types of therapy. After a thorough exam by Dr. Amarantos, a series of therapeutic treatments and a cortisone injection, Dr. Amarantos recommended sonic shockwave therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Sonic Shockwave Therapy (ESSWT). ESSWT is a fast and gentle non-surgical technique that delivers targeted high pressure, radial sonic shock-waves that travel through the skin. Inflamed soft tissue and bone calcification (plantar fasciitis) can heal without harm to the surrounding tissues. A few treatments of sonic shockwave therapy enhance the body’s natural self-healing process by stimulating the formation of new blood vessels. The procedure can be performed without an anesthetic. After two treatments, Mary was mostly pain-free and able to return to work the following day.

Mary’s success is not unusual. Shockwave treatment has been performed and studied carefully by the physicians at WFAI. They recently released a research study “ESSWT for the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis: A Nine-Year Follow-Up,*” which followed plantar fasciitis-shockwave therapy patients nine years after their treatment. Nearly 80 percent of the patients reported high satisfaction nearly a decade after being treated. And, they reported an average percentage of improvement in heel pain of 96.4 percent. This summer, WFAI is offering a reduced rate on sonic shockwave therapy in honor of the international shockwave therapy meeting taking place in Chicago.

For more information on plantar fasciitis treatment, including sonic shockwave therapy, the Weil Foot & Ankle Institute is offering a free Kick Heel Pain Kit which includes a brochure on symptoms, treatment options and exercises. It also includes a small foot massager for relieving early signs of heel pain discomfort. To get yours complete the email form here.