Shockwave Therapy vs. Cortisone Shots for Plantar Fasciitis: What the Research Actually Says

By Dr. Andrew Kakishita, DC | Pleasant Grove, UT Chiropractor

Both promise relief. Only one addresses what is actually happening in the tissue.

The Two Most Common Options

When plantar fasciitis pain will not go away, most people are offered one of two things: a cortisone shot or shockwave therapy. They work in very different ways, and understanding those differences matters.

How Cortisone Shots Work

A cortisone shot is an anti-inflammatory medication injected directly into the painful area. It can bring fast relief, sometimes within days.
What the Research Actually Shows About Plantar Fasciitis

Here is something most patients never hear. Once plantar fasciitis has been around for a while, research shows it is usually not driven by ongoing inflammation at all. Tissue samples from chronic cases show degenerative changes, like disorganized collagen and worn down fibers, without the inflammation you would expect. Because of this, many researchers now call the long-standing form “fasciosis” instead of fasciitis.

That matters because a cortisone shot is built to fight inflammation. If inflammation is not the main problem anymore by the time someone gets the shot, it is mostly numbing pain signals rather than fixing what is actually going on in the tissue. Repeated shots can also weaken an already worn down fascia over time, which raises the risk of it tearing.

How Shockwave Therapy Works

Shockwave therapy uses focused sound wave pulses to stimulate blood flow and trigger your body’s own repair response in the degenerated tissue. Instead of numbing pain, it works to actually rebuild the area.

Which One Is Right for You

If you need pain relief right before a big event and understand it is a short-term fix, a cortisone shot might make sense. If you are looking to actually address the worn down tissue so the problem does not keep coming back, shockwave therapy is usually the better long-term investment.
Getting Started

At Kinetic Chiropractic, we combine shockwave therapy with chiropractic adjustments to address both the degenerated tissue and any biomechanical issues contributing to your plantar fasciitis in the first place.

If you are tired of plantar fasciitis controlling your life, let’s talk about which option makes sense for you. Book a visit at Kinetic Chiropractic in Pleasant Grove.