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Shock wave therapy in the treatment of heel spurs
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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A heel spur is an ossification of the plantar tendon localized in the area of its attachment to the heel bone. The cause of its occurrence is most often aseptic inflammation in the area of the plantar fascia. They occur in the place where the tissue is subject to the greatest load. It causes severe pain in the heel area, which intensifies when walking, especially at the very beginning, when a person just stands on his foot. The spur needs to be treated, because the disease usually only progresses, causing increased pain and its possible spread to the entire foot. Today, shock wave therapy is widely used in the treatment of heel spurs. It has helped many people get rid of this problem. The procedure is effective, takes little time, and alleviates the condition.
Many experts assume that heel spurs develop as a result of aging. They are quite common in people over 40 and very rare in children and young people. They can be a consequence of concomitant diseases. For example, heel spurs often develop in people suffering from spinal diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases of the joints, metabolic disorders, especially if they affect the condition and permeability of blood vessels. ESWT helps to overcome the consequences of these diseases and restores the cellular structure.
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Indications for the procedure
The procedure is performed for flat feet, heel spurs, joint diseases, and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. It is performed in all cases of bone growths, seals, as well as with pronounced vascular network on the legs.
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Preparation
The procedure does not require any special preparation. It may be necessary to pre-treat the skin of the feet a few days before the procedure: scrub, peel, which will remove rough skin particles, normalize skin permeability and local blood circulation. But this is not a mandatory condition.
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Technique shockwave therapy for heel spurs.
During the procedure, an ultrasound wave is used. In this case, the bone cartilage provides resistance. Over time, the growths dissolve on their own.
It also improves the functioning of blood vessels, tissues receive more oxygen, nutrients, toxins and metabolic products are removed more intensively. This leads to the fact that the tissue begins to function more actively, metabolic and regenerative abilities are restored, and absorption occurs faster.
The bones become more elastic and flexible, which prevents injury from stretching and stress.
A big advantage is that there is no need for hospitalization. The procedure is carried out in clinics, on an outpatient basis. It is absolutely painless, and the principle of the method is closest to the ultrasound procedure.
The doctor palpates the inflammation site, determines the location of the largest formation and maximum pain syndrome. Usually, this is the central part of the lower surface of the heel. Much less often, this syndrome is localized in lower places. Then they begin the procedure itself, acting directly on the inflammation site. In addition, the shock wave blocks the patient's pain syndrome, which significantly alleviates the person's condition. The wave tends to spread throughout all tissues and internal organs.
The necessary parameters are set on the equipment, a gel is applied to the area to be treated, which improves the conductivity of the waves. The sensor emitting ultrasound is pressed tightly to the skin, and this area is treated.
How many sessions are required?
On average, 7 procedures are required for treatment. The duration of the procedure ranges from 5 to 20 minutes, and is determined by the individual characteristics of the body, as well as the severity of the disease. Sessions are carried out with a break of 3-7 days, during which the damaged tissues are restored and the compaction is resorbed. The procedure is postponed for some time, or the break is increased in the event of an increase in pain syndrome (until the pain subsides).
Contraindications to the procedure
The procedure is not performed during pregnancy, in case of blood clotting disorders, vascular fragility, as well as against the background of inflammatory, infectious, purulent processes in the surrounding tissues. Contraindications include general poor health and condition of the body, a cold, infectious or somatic disease in the acute phase.
Also not performed in the presence of a pacemaker and oncological diseases. Also with caution should be performed in persons with mental instability, severe mental and nervous system disorders, with an abnormal heart rhythm. The presence of blood clots, thrombi, especially those that block the lumen of a blood vessel, intoxication and acute infections are also considered as relative contraindications.
Consequences after the procedure
The procedure is quite easy to tolerate, without causing any complications. After the procedure, the pain syndrome is noticeably reduced, metabolic processes in the heel area are normalized, regeneration is launched, and seals are absorbed. The procedure does not require hospitalization, it is performed quickly and painlessly. It allows you to remove the spur without surgical intervention. In addition to treating the spur, it has an additional effect on the entire body, improving well-being, normalizing the state of the immune system, which significantly increases the body's resistance and endurance. This allows you to quickly restore health and improve the quality of life of a person.
Care after the procedure
No special care is required after the procedure. The patient can resume their normal lifestyle immediately after the procedure. The only thing required is to reduce physical activity on the heel for the entire course of treatment. For this purpose, it is advisable to wear special soft shoes and special orthopedic insoles.
To prevent the reappearance of the spur, it is recommended to constantly train the muscles of the heel and foot after the end of treatment. There are special exercises for this, which a therapeutic exercise instructor will help you choose. It is useful to go swimming. Classical hatha yoga and qigong will have a positive effect, since these exercises allow you to exert the necessary level of stress on the body, while maintaining moderation, dosage and gentleness of the effect.
Hatha yoga, yoga therapy effectively combine dynamic and static exercises and complexes that provide a full training effect without causing damage and overstrain of tissues. There is a system of breathing, relaxation exercises that will cleanse the body, accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues, will promote the resorption of seals and ossifications.
It is important to wear comfortable shoes with special orthopedic insoles and arch supports. A prerequisite is timely treatment of concomitant diseases, especially those that affect the musculoskeletal system. It is important to avoid injuries, damage to joints, limbs, and you cannot overload your foot. You need to learn how to distribute your weight correctly (in the center of your foot). Preventive massage of your legs, especially your feet, is useful. It is also necessary to maintain your weight within normal limits.
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Reviews
If you analyze the reviews, you can see that many people suffer from heel spurs, and it is very difficult to get rid of them. Almost every patient had to try many treatment methods, but all of them are ineffective. People do not immediately come to the use of shock wave therapy. It is usually used when conservative methods are ineffective. This is a relatively modern method.
Everyone who has used it is satisfied. The procedure has no side effects or complications. After it, significant relief immediately occurs, the pain decreases. Also, as an advantage, many note that the procedure does not require preliminary preparation or a special course after the procedure. Many patients noted that walking after the full course becomes much easier, there is no pain, swelling, or discomfort. The procedure is carried out quickly, takes no more than 20 minutes, after which you can immediately go about your business.
Many are prescribed shock wave therapy in combination with other methods, but as studies have shown, this makes no sense, since the effect is the same as in those patients who did not receive additional treatment. In about 2 months, the spur and residual effects disappear completely. As practice shows, the use of conservative therapy alone, without shock wave therapy, gives practically no results.
One woman writes that she could not get rid of the spur with the help of conservative therapy for quite a long time. She tried all the means prescribed by the doctor, visited the physiotherapy room, used medications. At home, she resorted to folk remedies on her own, for example, she did warming up, alternated lotions with foot baths. As a basis, she used the medicines prescribed by the doctor, herbal decoctions. But there was no result. Then a friend with a similar problem advised her to undergo shock wave therapy, she was prescribed about half a year ago.
The woman changed her doctor, chose another clinic, where she was prescribed shock wave therapy. The result was not long in coming. Already on the second day, the pain noticeably subsided, she could easily lean on her heel. After about the 5th procedure, she began to feel much better, even a feeling of lightness and vigor appeared not only in her legs, but throughout her entire body. The course consisted of 7 procedures. After them, the spur completely stopped bothering her.
Of the negative reviews, only one was found. According to Ekaterina from Kazan, she tried to cure the spur twice with injections, and once with conventional ultrasound therapy. Shock wave therapy in the treatment of heel spurs also turned out to be ineffective. None of the types of therapy brought the expected results. The pain, reminiscent of nails in the heel, continued to torment her even after the treatment. Medications did not help either. She suffered from a heel spur for 4 years. After that, my husband and I went to the sea, and it was there that the pain disappeared on its own, and no longer bothers the girl.