Foot Clinic · Shockwave
Shockwave for foot & heel pain
Focused shockwave therapy delivered by our Registered Chiropodists for persistent foot, heel and tendon pain, assessed and planned alongside orthotic and footwear care in the same appointment.
Conditions
Foot conditions treated with shockwave
Shockwave is used for soft-tissue and tendon pain in the foot and ankle that has not settled with conservative care. It is a non-invasive option for patients who would prefer to avoid injection or surgery.
Shockwave for foot pain is one of the specialty treatments offered as part of chiropody care, following an assessment by a Registered Chiropodist. About chiropody treatment
Plantar fasciitis & heel pain
The most common reason shockwave is used in the Foot Clinic. It is indicated for heel pain that has persisted despite stretching, footwear changes and orthotic therapy, and is frequently combined with those measures rather than replacing them.
Achilles tendinopathy
Pain and thickening at the mid-portion or insertion of the Achilles tendon. Shockwave is applied alongside a graded loading program and heel-height adjustment where appropriate.
Heel spurs & insertional pain
Where calcification has developed at the attachment of the plantar fascia or Achilles tendon, pressure waves are used to address the calcified tissue and local pain response.
Forefoot & metatarsal pain
Persistent forefoot soft-tissue pain, including capsulitis and neuroma-type symptoms, assessed first to confirm the source of pain before treatment is considered.
Peroneal & tibialis tendon pain
Long-standing tendon pain along the outside or inside of the ankle, often related to foot mechanics and addressed together with a device or footwear change.
Chronic scar tissue & recovery
Areas of the foot where circulation and tissue quality are limiting recovery, where the aim is to restart the healing response in tissue that has stalled.
Treatment Plan
What your course of treatment looks like
Shockwave is delivered as part of a chiropody plan of care, not as a standalone session. Assessment, treatment and review sit together so the cause of the pain is addressed with the pain itself.
Assessment first
Every course begins with a Chiropodist assessment: history, palpation to localise the painful structure, and a gait and footwear review. Shockwave is only recommended once the source of pain is clear and the mechanical contributors have been identified.
What a session involves
Contact gel is applied and a handpiece delivers focused pressure waves to the target tissue. A foot treatment takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes. Intensity is adjusted to your comfort; most patients describe a firm tapping sensation rather than pain.
- No injection, anaesthetic or incision
- You remain in the treatment chair
- You can walk out and drive afterwards
Typical course of treatment
Most foot conditions are treated over three to five sessions, spaced about one week apart. Progress is reviewed at each visit and the plan is adjusted rather than run to a fixed number of appointments.
Between sessions
Strenuous loading of the treated tissue is limited for 24 to 48 hours after each session. Mild soreness or redness over the area is common and settles quickly. Your Chiropodist will set out what to continue and what to pause.
Alongside mechanical care
Shockwave addresses the painful tissue; foot mechanics determine whether the improvement holds. Treatment is routinely paired with custom orthotics, footwear changes or offloading so that the tissue is not reloaded in the same way.
- Custom orthotic therapy
- Footwear assessment and fitting
- Stretching and loading guidance
When shockwave is not suitable
It is not used over an active infection, an area of reduced sensation or circulation without review, during pregnancy, or where a suspected fracture or other pathology needs imaging first. Suitability is confirmed at your assessment.
Delivered by our Chiropodists
Shockwave therapy in the Foot Clinic is delivered by Registered Chiropodists as part of a foot assessment. You can book with whichever of them you prefer.
Your first visit, and what follows
Conditions treated with this service
Covered by most extended health plans. Direct billing is available to many major insurers.Billing details
Book a shockwave assessment
Most new patients prefer to call. Reception can advise which practitioner is best suited to your concern and arrange a suitable time. Online booking is also available if you would prefer to book directly.
3305 Harvester Road, Burlington, Ontario L7N 3N2