Extra Corporeal Shockwave | Podiatrist In New Orleans, LA

What is Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is an FDA-cleared technology proven to increase the rate of healing for soft tissue tendinopathies and wounds.

It is an advanced, non-invasive, and highly effective treatment method that enhances blood circulation and accelerates the healing process, causing damaged tissue to gradually regenerate.

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What is ESWT The Science How it's Performed Why Consider ESWT Side Effects ESWT Pricing Consultation

The Science Behind ESWT

Chronic pain often occurs when the body no longer recognizes that an injury needs repair. The normal immune and healing responses become disconnected, leaving the tissue in a stalled, non-healing state. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) reawakens this process by stimulating cellular repair and vascular regeneration.

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Radial Shockwave Therapy (rESWT)

Radial ESWT delivers ballistic, acoustic waves that disperse outward into the soft tissues. These waves create controlled micro-trauma that signals the body to “reset” its natural healing response.

How Radial Works

Ballistic shockwaves penetrate soft tissue and stimulate mechanoreceptors
Controlled micro-trauma triggers a renewed inflammatory-healing cycle
Mechanical energy releases biochemical messengers that build new micro-vessels
Improves circulation, oxygenation, and metabolic activity in chronic tissue

Best for:

Acute Plantar fasciitis
Achilles tendinopathy (non-insertional)
Peroneal tendinopathy
Posterior tibial tendinopathy
Chronic muscle tightness or trigger points
Heel pain
Soft-tissue adhesions or scar tissue
Morton’s neuroma pain (early stages)
Small-fiber neuropathy / peripheral neuropathy (improves microcirculation and reduces neuroinflammation)
Superficial nerve entrapments (e.g., Baxter’s nerve, superficial peroneal nerve irritation)

Radial ESWT is ideal for broader, more superficial or mid-depth soft-tissue injuries and for inflammation that has become chronic and unresponsive to conservative care.

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Focused Shockwave Therapy (fESWT)

Focused ESWT delivers precise, high-energy waves that penetrate deeper structures and concentrate the energy at an exact focal point. Unlike radial, which disperses energy outward, focused shockwaves deliver energy to a specific depth, allowing treatment of deep or highly targeted pathology.

How Focused Works

Higher energy delivered to a precise anatomical depth
Stimulates deep tissue regeneration and stem-cell activation
Breaks down calcifications and dense scar tissue
Increases blood flow in structurally damaged tissues

Best for:

Chronic plantar fasciitis
Insertional Achilles tendinopathy
Stress fractures (bone healing stimulation)
Advanced tendinosis with structural degeneration
Sesamoid injuries
Osteochondral defects
Neuromas that require deep penetration
Deep fascial or ligament injuries
Deep nerve entrapments (e.g., tarsal tunnel, deep peroneal nerve entrapment)

Focused ESWT is preferred when the injury is deep, structurally damaged, or not improving with traditional or radial therapy.

How is Extracorporeal Shockwave Performed?

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is a comfortable, in-office procedure that requires no anesthesia and no downtime. Once the area of pain is identified, a small amount of ultrasound gel is applied to help transmit the acoustic waves efficiently. The handheld ESWT device is then placed against the skin and delivers controlled pulses of either radial or focused shockwaves, depending on the depth and nature of the injury.

Most treatments last 10–15 minutes, during which you may feel a tapping or pressure sensation as the energy stimulates the tissue. As the session progresses, many patients notice the discomfort lessen as the treatment begins to break the chronic pain cycle.

After your treatment, you may walk out of the office without restriction. Mild soreness can occur for 24–48 hours, but most patients resume normal activities the same day. Because ESWT stimulates a natural healing cascade, improvement continues over several weeks as new blood vessels form, inflammation decreases, and the tissue begins to repair.

Why Consider Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy?

ESWT is an exceptional option for patients who want meaningful relief without surgery, extended downtime, or repeated steroid injections. It is designed specifically for chronic conditions that have stopped responding to traditional treatments and need a stronger signal to re-engage the body’s natural healing process.

Shockwave therapy improves blood flow, reduces inflammation, regenerates damaged tissue, and restores mobility—often in conditions that have persisted for months or even years. For many patients, ESWT offers a path forward when physical therapy, orthotics, medications, and rest have not been enough.

Because it is non-invasive, fast, and performed comfortably in our office, ESWT allows you to continue your daily routine while your body begins repairing the underlying injury. It is a powerful, science-driven solution for stubborn foot and ankle pain and one of the most effective regenerative tools we offer.

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Possible Side Effects?

Most patients tolerate both radial and focused shockwave therapy very well, but it’s normal to experience mild, temporary side effects as the body responds to treatment. These may include short-term soreness, a dull ache, redness, warmth, mild swelling, or light bruising in the treated area. Some patients feel a brief increase in discomfort 24–48 hours afterward, especially when deeper structures such as tendons or bone interfaces are treated. In rare cases, there may be temporary tingling or irritation of nearby nerves, particularly with focused treatments aimed at deeper tissues. These effects are generally mild, resolve on their own, and reflect the body’s natural healing response.

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Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Pricing

Pricing:

A single shockwave session is $200.

A package of four treatments is available for $600 per foot, offering meaningful savings and ensuring optimal therapeutic benefit.

If additional treatments are needed within 30 days of completing a package, they are provided at a reduced rate of $75 per foot.

Connect With Us

Dr. Edward Lang brings years of expertise in both traditional foot surgery and advanced regenerative treatments. At New Orleans Podiatry, we combine modern diagnostic tools with proven medical techniques in one convenient location. With same-day appointments and concierge-level care, you’ll have direct access to our team for answers, recovery support, and personalized adjustments along the way.

There’s no need to wait weeks for relief. Whether you call, text, or send us a request, you can be seen quickly by one of New Orleans’ most trusted foot surgeons and leave your visit with a clear plan for feeling better, starting today.