What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy uses light energy to cause a photochemical effect at the cellular level encouraging cells to optimize their metabolism. This "wakes up" damaged cells and encourages tissues to repair themselves.
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It is a regenerative medicine therapy which has some of the following benefits:
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Painless
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Fast - works after 1st treatment.
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No Downtime
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Safe - FDA cleared.
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Proven by clinical trials.
Jeanie shares her recovery from severe plantar fasciitis:
Tonya shares her experience with the laser:
Prescription Orthotics
Prescription orthotics are the mainstay of treatment for many foot problems and decades of research have confirmed they work! Prescription orthotics are custom to you, like glasses, that fit in your shoes, and re-align the poor mechanics of the foot.
Laser FAQs
Is this Safe?
Yes! It is FDA-Cleared. It uses infrared light which is non-ionizing;Â meaning it doesn't damage tissues/cells, and so there are zero side effects when used appropriately.
Is the laser painful?
No. However, the laser is very powerful and requires medical training to operate safely. The procedure creates a soothing warming sensation, and the patient is monitored closely through the procedure.
How long do laser therapy sessions take?
Sessions can last up to 10 minutes. You will be in-and-out of our office!
How many treatments are required?
Typically, 6-8Â treatments once, or twice a week are great at reducing heel pain.
What is the downtime with this therapy?
Zero. In fact because you will be in less pain quickly you will want to do more on your foot.
Why can I just get a steroid injection and take care of this once and for all?
Because:
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Steroids only mask the true cause of pain.
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Steroids don't do anything to correct poor foot mechanics.
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Studies prove steroid injections don't work as good in the long run. So, you're wasting time and money.
I heard shockwave, or ESWT works well for heel pain. Why not that?
It is true shockwave is effective. The problem with shockwave is that it is a painful treatment! It also requires multiple sessions. Laser therapy shows the same effectiveness with ZERO pain during treatments.
Sounds cool, but does this really work?
Absolutely! Multiple clinical trials have confirmed its effectiveness. If you're interested check out this Meta-analysis: Clinical efficacy of low-level laser therapy in plantar fasciitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6370152/)
What if this doesn't work?
A small percent of patients may fail this therapy, and so we have other non-surgical tools we can use for these patients that is beyond the scope of this article.
Dr. Andrew Alward DPM
Board-Certified Podiatrist
A native of Illinois, after completing his medical training in Chicago, IL Dr. Alward relocated to Chattanooga, TN with his wife for the love of the outdoors, great hospitality, and community of Chattanooga! He is honored to serve the area!​
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Rosalind Franklin University North Chicago, IL
Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Residency Sts Mary & Elizabeth Medical Center Chicago, IL
Board Certified American Board of Podiatric Medicine
Fellow of the American College of Podiatric Medicine
Special Interest & Post-Graduate Education in Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery
New Tread Podiatry PLLC
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