Foot and ankle sports injuries can be painful and frustrating. You don't want to stop training, practicing, and competing, but you may have no choice until your injury heals.
Our goal is to get you back in the game as quickly and safely as possible. Often, the experienced podiatrists at North Florida Foot and Ankle Center use a form of regenerative medicine to treat foot and ankle sports injuries so that you experience minimal downtime and maximum healing.
What Is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field of science that focuses on repairing or replacing damaged tissues using the body's natural healing processes. This approach uses cutting-edge techniques to restore normal function to damaged or diseased tissues without medication or surgery.
North Florida Foot and Ankle Center uses different forms of regenerative medicine to treat sports injuries. Each treatment works differently, but they all offer similar benefits, including:
- Fast appointments. Treatment times vary by procedure but can take as little as 15 minutes.
- Little downtime. You may have few, if any, restrictions after treatment.
- Minimal side effects. Regenerative medicine accelerates your body's healing. There are no medication side effects and no surgical risks.
- Successful healing. Our podiatrists use forms of regenerative medicine with proven success rates.
Our experienced podiatrists will thoroughly explain treatment options to treat your unique injury.
Three Types of Regenerative Medicine for Foot and Ankle Injuries
Some regenerative medicine treatment options for foot and ankle injuries include the following:
Multiwave Locked System (MLS) Therapy
MLS Laser Therapy is an FDA-approved cutting-edge technology that effectively utilizes specific light wavelengths to combat inflammation and swelling in affected tissues. It is often effective in treating conditions such as sprains, muscle tears, and Achilles tendinitis.
The therapy works by deeply penetrating the tissue with photons of laser energy, leading to accelerated cellular growth and reproduction. The increased circulation of water, oxygen, and nutrients in the damaged area creates an ideal healing environment that reduces inflammation and relieves muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain. The photons interact with cells, increasing ATP (adenosine triphosphate) levels, cell membrane permeability, and the dilation of blood and lymphatic vessels, ultimately leading to increased cellular energy and overall health.
The MLS Laser's precise calibration ensures that the light is delivered in a therapeutic dose, wavelength, pulse, and duration, precisely targeting the area needing treatment. The dual action and synchronized pulsed and continuous laser emissions work together to create a therapeutic effect that strengthens cells, promoting healing and quickly bringing cells back to an optimal condition in just a few minutes.
As a result, tendons, ligaments, and muscles repair themselves much faster, significantly reducing inflammation and pain.
Radial Pulse Therapy (RPT)
Radial Pulse Therapy is an FDA-approved, non-invasive, advanced therapeutic treatment that uses low-pressure radial waves to activate the body's natural healing response. This innovative treatment effectively permeates deep into the tissue, targeting inflammation, pain, and circulation issues.
RPT helps reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and improve circulation in the affected area by utilizing radial waves. The waves penetrate deep into the tissue, stimulating the body's innate healing response and promoting tissue regeneration.
Improved blood flow is a key benefit of Radial Pulse Therapy. By facilitating oxygen delivery to the body, swelling and discomfort can be reduced, and the body can recover more quickly. This increased circulation also helps to improve overall tissue health and function.
RPT is a safe and effective treatment option that often benefits individuals dealing with various sports injuries, including but not limited to Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, and shin splints.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a revolutionary medical treatment that uses a patient's own blood to assist in the healing process of muscle, tendon, ligament, and other foot and ankle sports injuries. The procedure involves collecting a small blood sample from the patient, which is then placed in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets and growth factors.
The concentrated PRP is administered directly into the affected area, allowing for a targeted and precise treatment. The activated stem cells and growth factors work together to promote the regeneration of damaged tissues, leading to a quicker and more efficient recovery.