Stubborn heel or tendon pain that has not settled? Shockwave therapy may be the next step

Most people describe shockwave as uncomfortable rather than painful, with a strong tapping or pulsing sensation over the treated area. Your podiatrist starts at a lower energy level and increases it to a level you can tolerate, so you stay in control throughout. Treatment time over one area is short, usually a few minutes. Some tenderness for a day or two afterwards is normal and settles on its own.

Most treatment courses involve three to six sessions, spaced roughly a week apart, with the exact number based on your diagnosis and how the tissue responds. [CONFIRM: standard course length offered at OnePointHealth.] Your podiatrist reviews your progress as you go, so the plan is adjusted rather than fixed at the start. Some people need a second course later; others move straight onto strengthening alone.

Shockwave is not used during pregnancy, over areas with active infection, open wounds or a tumour, or in people with bleeding disorders. Care is also needed if you take blood-thinning medication, have had a recent cortisone injection into the area, or have reduced sensation from nerve damage. Your podiatrist screens for these before treatment, so bring your medication list and medical history to your appointment.

No. Both use sound energy, but they work very differently. Therapeutic ultrasound delivers low-energy waves that produce gentle heating in the tissue. Shockwave delivers short, high-energy pressure pulses that mechanically stimulate the tissue and trigger a repair response. Shockwave is felt strongly during treatment, while ultrasound is usually not felt at all. They are not interchangeable and are used for different purposes.

Many people notice a reduction in pain within two to four sessions, though it is common for symptoms to fluctuate before they improve. The tissue changes shockwave stimulates continue developing for weeks after your final session, so improvement often keeps building after the course finishes. Responses vary between people and diagnoses, and results depend on doing your loading program alongside the treatment.

Avoid high-impact activity such as running, jumping or long training sessions for about 48 hours after each treatment. Normal walking, work and daily activity are fine. Your podiatrist may also ask you to avoid ice and anti-inflammatory medication during the course, because reducing the inflammatory response can work against the mechanism the treatment relies on. Ask before taking anything new.