By the time someone clicks on our shockwave page, they’re usually thinking one of two things:

“If this works, it sounds great.”
“But is it actually legit—or just an expensive gadget?”

Fair question.

At Bayshore Podiatry Center in South Tampa, we use focused shockwave a lot—for stubborn plantar fasciitis, Achilles issues, and other tendon problems—but we do not recommend it for everyone.

This is the honest version: what shockwave actually does, who it helps, when we recommend it, when we don’t, and how it stacks up against steroids, MLS laser, and surgery.

If you want the shorter clinical overview of shockwave itself, you can also read:
Shockwave Therapy for Foot and Ankle Pain

What Shockwave Therapy Actually Does (Plain Language)

When we say “shockwave,” we’re talking about focused acoustic waves delivered into a painful area—commonly:

• The plantar fascia (bottom of the heel)

• The Achilles tendon

• Around the great toe joint

• Other chronic tendon or fascia problems

Here’s the idea in plain English:

• Chronic heel and tendon pain often represents a stalled healing response.

• The tissue is irritated but not truly “inflamed” in the way most people think.

• Focused shockwave creates a controlled microtrauma in the painful zone.

• That microtrauma signals your body to restart the healing process:

  • Increased blood flow

  • Release of growth factors

  • Small-scale tissue remodeling over weeks to months

This isn’t like a massage gun or a basic “pressure wave” machine. We’re using focused medical shockwave, with settings tuned based on your diagnosis, imaging, and pain tolerance.

The end goal is not to numb the pain—it’s to change the underlying tissue biology so the pain has a reason to calm down.

Who Is (and Isn’t) a Good Candidate for Shockwave?

Shockwave is not first-line care.

It works best for people who:

• Have had pain for 3+ months

• Have already tried basic treatments (shoes, inserts, stretching, activity changes)

• Have a clear diagnosis that fits shockwave’s strengths

Conditions we commonly treat with shockwave:

• Chronic plantar fasciitis / plantar fasciopathy

• Chronic Achilles tendinopathy (insertional or mid-portion, depending on imaging)

• Peroneal tendon issues on the outer side of the ankle

• Great toe joint pain (hallux rigidus / turf toe-type problems in select cases)

• Certain chronic tendon or fascia problems that haven’t responded to conventional care

People who are not ideal candidates:

• Those with an unclear diagnosis or suspected tear that hasn’t been imaged

• Acute injuries that just started last week

• Patients who haven’t tried the basics at all yet

• Some patients with specific medical conditions or medications (we screen for these)

Our process always starts with exam and often imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, and sometimes MRI) to be sure we’re doing the right treatment for the right problem.

If you want to see how we structure treatment steps for plantar fasciitis before shockwave enters the picture, read:
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Roadmap: What We Try First, Second, and Third Before Surgery

When We Recommend Shockwave vs. Staying with the Basics Longer

Here’s how we think about timing in real life.

We usually recommend staying with “basics” longer if:

• Your pain is improving with:

  • Footwear changes

  • Over-the-counter or custom orthotics

  • Stretching and strengthening

  • Load management (smart changes to standing, walking, running)

• You’ve had symptoms for less than about 6–8 weeks

• You’re still functional and trending in the right direction

We start talking seriously about shockwave when:

• You’ve had pain for 3–6+ months

• You’ve already cleaned up:

  • Shoes and inserts

  • Activity and load

  • Basic rehab exercises

• You’re still limited in what you can do (running, standing all day, walking at Disney, etc.)

• Imaging supports a chronic degenerative issue rather than a tear or something requiring surgery right away

In other words, shockwave is a non-surgical escalation for stubborn problems—not a magic first-line shortcut.

Shockwave vs. Steroid Injection vs. MLS Laser vs. Surgery

Patients constantly ask, “Why this instead of a shot?” or “How is this different from MLS laser or surgery?”

Here’s the way I explain it in the room.

Steroid Injections

Pros:

• Can provide potent short-term pain relief

• Quick, in-office procedure

• Sometimes useful to calm an extremely “angry” heel or tendon so we can start rehab

Cons:

• Does not fix underlying tissue quality

• Overuse can weaken the plantar fascia or tendon

• Relief can be temporary if nothing else changes

I use steroid injections sparingly, and often as part of a broader plan—not as a stand-alone solution.

MLS Laser Therapy

Pros:

• Noninvasive, comfortable

• Helps reduce inflammation and pain

• Can speed healing in earlier or mid-stage tissue irritation

• Good option for patients who can’t tolerate injections

Cons:

• Often more helpful in subacute cases than in very chronic “beat up for years” tissue

• Also requires a series of treatments

• Not as intense a stimulus for remodeling as focused shockwave in long-standing cases

You can read more about our MLS laser program here:
MLS Laser Therapy for Foot and Ankle Pain

Shockwave Therapy

Pros:

• Strong stimulus for remodeling chronically degenerated tissue

• Often effective where months of traditional care stalled

• Non-surgical with no incisions, no anesthesia

• Minimal downtime—you usually walk out and carry on with modified activity

Cons:

• You feel it—it’s not a “spa” treatment

• Requires multiple sessions (typically 4–6)

• Self-pay in most cases (more on that below)

• Not appropriate for every diagnosis

Surgery

Pros:

• Can change structure in a way no non-surgical tool can

• Sometimes the best option when there is a true tear, large spur, or severe deformity

Cons:

• Real downtime, real recovery, and sometimes real complications

• Requires time off work and modification of life demands

• Not necessary for the vast majority of plantar fasciitis and tendinopathy patients we see

Our philosophy is simple:

Try smart, structured conservative care.
If that fails, use advanced tools like shockwave and MLS.
Leave surgery for the relatively small group who truly need it.

What a Typical Shockwave Series Looks Like

While details can vary based on the specific condition, here’s the general pattern.

Number of sessions:

• Typically 4–6 sessions, once per week

During the session:

• We localize the most painful and degenerated areas based on your exam and imaging

• The treatment head delivers focused acoustic pulses to a defined region

• It’s uncomfortable, but we adjust energy levels based on your tolerance

• Sessions usually last 10–20 minutes per area

Right after treatment:

• You walk out of the office

• Mild soreness or fullness for a day or two is common

• We don’t usually recommend aggressive icing or anti-inflammatories that might blunt the healing response

Timeline for improvement:

• Some patients feel initial easing in a couple of weeks

• Most meaningful improvements typically show up between 3–8 weeks after starting

• Remodeling continues for several months, so your best result is often delayed, not immediate

We usually pair shockwave with:

• Ongoing load management

• Proper footwear and orthotics

• A gradual return-to-activity plan

• Strengthening and mobility work as the tissue tolerates it

Cost, Insurance Realities, and How We Protect You from Wasting Money

This is where most people get nervous, so let’s be direct.

Insurance Reality

Most insurance companies still consider shockwave for plantar fasciitis and tendon pain to be “experimental” or “non-covered,” even though the literature and real-world results say otherwise.

That means:

• Shockwave is typically self-pay.

• It does not usually count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.

How we handle cost in our practice

At Bayshore Podiatry Center:

• We give you clear pricing up front for the full series.

• We do not recommend shockwave if your diagnosis or exam suggest a low chance of benefit.

• We encourage you to complete appropriate basic care first so you’re not paying for something you may not need.

• For patients who qualify and want to proceed, we have flexible 90-day payment options for larger treatment plans so cost is spread out instead of hitting all at once.

The goal is simple:
Use shockwave where it’s likely to truly help, not just because we own the machine.

If you want more context on how we think about value and treatment options in general, you can download our free report:
Tampa Foot Specialists Report

A Real Case: When Shockwave Helped an Athlete Avoid Surgery

One example (with all identifying details removed):

A middle-aged runner from South Tampa came in with 18 months of chronic plantar fasciitis. He’d already:

• Tried multiple rounds of PT

• Switched shoes several times

• Used OTC inserts and later custom orthotics

• Had one steroid injection that helped for a few weeks, then wore off

By the time he saw us, he was considering surgery and had essentially given up running.

Imaging confirmed chronic plantar fasciopathy—no tear, no major spur issue that required immediate surgery.

We laid out options:

• Repeat steroid (with limited expectations)

• Surgery

• Or one more non-surgical push with:

  • Focused shockwave

  • Orthotic adjustments

  • A structured strengthening and return-to-run plan

He chose shockwave.

After six sessions and a gradual loading program:

• His morning pain dropped from a “9 out of 10” to a “2–3 out of 10”

• He was back to walking Disney days with his family

• Over the next few months he rebuilt his mileage and returned to regular running—without surgery

Does every case look like that? No. But those are the types of patients where shockwave can be a game-changer instead of an incremental tweak.

So… Is Shockwave Therapy “Worth It”?

Here’s the blunt answer I give patients in Tampa:

Shockwave is probably worth it if:

• You’ve had heel or tendon pain for 3+ months

• You’ve already done the basics correctly (shoes, inserts, load changes, rehab)

• Your diagnosis fits what shockwave is designed to treat

• The pain is limiting the things that matter to you (running, work, family life)

• You understand it’s a process, not a single magic session

It’s probably not worth it if:

• You just started having pain a few weeks ago

• You haven’t fixed obviously bad footwear or overuse patterns

• You’re hoping for a one-and-done miracle without doing your part

• Your exam or imaging suggests you actually need a different solution (e.g., surgery for a large tear)

Next Steps If You’re Considering Shockwave in Tampa

If you’re still on the fence, here’s how I’d approach it:

1. Learn the Basics from Our Shockwave Page

Start with the core overview of how we use shockwave, what conditions we treat, and how it fits into our practice:

Shockwave Therapy for Foot and Ankle Pain

2. Understand Your Underlying Condition

If your pain is in the heel or arch, review our plantar fasciitis resources so you understand the full roadmap:

• Plantar Fasciitis Overview:
  Plantar Fasciitis Treatment in Tampa

• Plantar Fasciitis and Diet FAQ (systemic piece):
  Can the Foods You Eat Affect Plantar Fasciitis?

We also have additional tendon and heel-pain library articles that we can point you to at your visit.

3. Get an Evaluation and a Real Plan

If you’re in South Tampa, Hyde Park, MacDill, Westchase, Brandon, or anywhere across Tampa Bay and you’re tired of limping around, the next step is simple:

• Call Bayshore Podiatry Center at 813-877-6636, or

• Request an appointment through our website

We’ll:

• Confirm the diagnosis

• Review what you’ve already tried

• Talk honestly about whether shockwave, MLS laser, injections, or other options make sense for you, right now

If we don’t think shockwave is worth your time and money, we’ll tell you that directly—and recommend something better suited to your situation.

Shockwave therapy isn’t hype and it isn’t magic. Used in the right patients, at the right time, it can be the thing that finally moves a stubborn heel or tendon out of the chronic-pain cycle—without surgery.

If you’re at the point where rest, inserts, and random internet stretches aren’t cutting it anymore, it might be time to have a real conversation about whether shockwave fits into your plan.