The plantar fascia is a band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and anchors at the heel bone. This tissue plays a critical role in helping to support your arches (and therefore your entire body) as you stand, dance, walk or run. But as durable as this tissue may be, biomechanical imbalances due to poor shoe support or musculoskeletal alignment problems can place it under excessive strain, leading to a state of chronic pain and inflammation. Oddly enough, the stabbing heel pain associated with condition actually feels worse after you’ve been off your feet for a long period of time, such as when you first wake up in the morning.

Long-term plantar fasciitis treatment usually involves correcting the underlying biomechanical problem that caused it in the first place, using a combination of chiropractic care, orthotics and lifestyle advice. But in the meantime, you’ll still want relief from the acute pain your stressed plantar fascia is causing. This is where Shockwave therapy comes to the rescue. Shockwave therapy, also known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy or ESWT, is the application of acoustical waves to a connective tissue suffering chronic inflammation and pain. The acoustical waves are powerful enough to produce tiny injuries called micro-tears in the tissue, which in turn prompts a healing response from the body that reverses the chronic inflammation.