Stabbing heel pain shouldn't be a part of your morning tennis game. Nagging Achilles tendon discomfort shouldn't sideline you from the weekend golf tournament you've been looking forward to. When you live in Southwest Florida to stay active year-round, foot pain feels like a betrayal of the lifestyle you've worked so hard to enjoy.
Traditional treatments like rest, ice, and medication may not be enough to resolve persistent soft tissue injuries. Surgery comes with risks and downtime, and steroid injections offer only temporary relief. You've tried orthotics, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications, yet that familiar ache returns every time you lace up your sneakers or step onto the pickleball court. Sound familiar?
Shockwave therapy could be the treatment you've waited for. At Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care, our experienced Fort Myers podiatrists, Dr. Melissa Winter and Dr. Michael Mancano, use this revolutionary approach to target the root cause of chronic soft tissue injuries and heal them without invasive procedures. This advanced, FDA-approved therapy uses targeted acoustic waves to stimulate your body's natural healing processes, offering hope for conditions that have resisted other conservative treatments.
Here's what you should know about shockwave therapy and how it can help patients with soft tissue injuries avoid surgery and get back to the activities that make living in Southwest Florida so enjoyable faster.
How Shockwave Therapy Works to Heal Soft Tissue Injuries
Also called extracorporeal pulse activation therapy (EPAT), shockwave sends high-energy acoustic pressure waves deep into affected tissues, creating controlled microtrauma that stimulates blood circulation and accelerates healing. Think of it as jump-starting your body's repair system when natural healing has stalled.
When soft tissues become chronically injured, blood flow decreases, and healing factors struggle to reach the affected area. Shockwave's acoustic waves increase metabolism, blood flow, and growth factors in the injured tissues to kick-start your body's natural healing process. The treatment also breaks up calcium deposits that can impede healing while promoting new blood vessel formation.
Exploring the Benefits of Choosing EPAT for Foot Pain
Shockwave therapy offers numerous advantages over surgery and traditional approaches for treating podiatric soft tissue injuries. They include:
-
Non-invasive therapy. Unlike surgery or injections, EPAT uses no anesthesia, creates no incisions or scarring, and requires no medication.
-
No downtime. Shockwave allows for an immediate return to daily activities and can be used to treat in-season athletes, as it requires no or minimal time away from play.
-
Quick, convenient sessions. Each shockwave therapy session takes just 10 to 20 minutes, making this treatment ideal for busy Fort Myers professionals and active retirees.
-
Effective. EPAT boasts success rates of 75 percent or higher for treating soft tissue injuries and works particularly well for patients with conditions where traditional healing has plateaued.
-
Lasting relief. Shockwave therapy addresses the underlying tissue damage rather than merely masking symptoms, and patients often experience progressive improvement over several months.
Conditions We Treat With Shockwave Therapy
Fort Myers podiatrists Dr. Winter and Dr. Mancano use EPAT to address wide-ranging sports injuries and chronic foot conditions that affect active Southwest Florida residents. These include:
-
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain. This condition causes stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot near the heel, typically worse in the morning. Weekend warriors, runners, and tennis players frequently develop plantar fasciitis from repetitive stress. Shockwave therapy reduces inflammation in the plantar fascia and promotes healing of micro-tears, providing both immediate pain relief and long-term recovery.
-
Achilles tendonitis. Athletes who play sports that involve frequent stops and starts—like pickleball, basketball, or tennis—commonly develop Achilles tendon inflammation. EPAT breaks down scar tissue and stimulates tendon repair while maintaining mobility. This is particularly valuable for Southwest Florida retirees who refuse to give up their favorite sports.
-
Sports injuries and overuse conditions. Stress fractures are common overuse injuries that can sideline athletes for months. Shockwave therapy promotes bone healing and reduces recovery time, helping active individuals return to training sooner. The treatment also addresses chronic ankle instability, neuromas, and various tendinopathies that plague recreational and competitive athletes.
-
Chronic conditions resistant to other treatments. When conservative approaches like rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy have failed to provide lasting relief, shockwave therapy offers renewed hope. The treatment excels at addressing conditions where natural healing has stalled or where tissues are chronically inflamed.
What to Discuss With Your Fort Myers Podiatrist
A thorough exam and consultation help our team determine if shockwave therapy is a suitable treatment for your podiatric soft tissue injury. Be sure to discuss the following during your appointment:
-
When symptoms first appeared and how they've changed over time
-
How your foot or ankle pain affects daily life and activities
-
Underlying conditions, such as diabetes, blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases, or pregnancy
-
Medications you're currently taking
-
Previous treatments and their effectiveness
-
Your activity goals and timeline
What to Expect During Your Shockwave Therapy Sessions
Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care shockwave therapy sessions are comfortable, convenient, and easy to fit into your active lifestyle. Each session lasts approximately 15 minutes, making it easy to schedule during lunch breaks or between other appointments.
During treatment, you'll sit comfortably while we deliver the acoustic waves using a special handheld device. The treatment is well-tolerated, with patients describing the sensation as a series of gentle taps or pulses. No anesthesia or pain medicine is required.
The number of sessions needed depends on the type and severity of your soft tissue injury and your individual response to treatment. We typically recommend one treatment per week for five weeks, followed by a maintenance program. This gives your body time to respond to each session while maintaining momentum in the healing process.
Patients often notice improvements after just a couple of sessions, though the full benefits continue to develop for weeks or months after treatment as damaged tissues repair and regenerate.
Follow-up care is essential for maintaining your results and preventing future injuries. This might include recommendations for proper footwear, custom orthotics, stretching programs, or strength training exercises specific to your sport or activities. Your podiatrist will work with you to develop a plan that keeps you active while protecting your newly healed tissues.