MSK · Banbury & Bicester
If foot or lower-limb pain has stuck around for months despite rest, stretching, and over-the-counter support, shockwave therapy may help. We offer extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) using the Swiss DolorClast® Radial Shockwave system — a non-invasive treatment used in specialist musculoskeletal practice — at both Foot Life clinics in North Oxfordshire.
Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and other persistent soft-tissue pain in the foot and lower leg can drag on for months — sometimes years. They often respond to load management, footwear changes, and stretching, but a stubborn minority do not.
Shockwave therapy is one of the better-evidenced options for that stubborn group. We will assess your foot, talk you through what is realistic, and only recommend shockwave if it is likely to help.
Shockwave therapy, also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), is a non-invasive treatment for chronic musculoskeletal conditions. A handheld applicator delivers controlled mechanical pressure waves through the skin to the injured tissue, where they are thought to stimulate the body's natural healing processes.
We use the Swiss DolorClast® Radial Shockwave system — a clinically established device manufactured by EMS and widely used in specialist musculoskeletal practice. A typical session takes around 15 to 20 minutes; most courses involve three to five sessions, usually a week apart.
ESWT for selected chronic musculoskeletal conditions — including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy — is supported by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) when delivered with appropriate clinical governance, consent and outcome monitoring. We use the Swiss DolorClast® Radial Shockwave system, a clinically established device widely used in specialist musculoskeletal practice.
NICE-supported
for plantar fasciitis (IPG311) and Achilles tendinopathy (IPG571)
Swiss-made
DolorClast® Radial Shockwave system by EMS
Non-invasive
no anaesthetic, no incisions, no downtime
References to NICE guidance describe the procedure category, not endorsement of any specific clinic or device. Individual results vary; we will be honest at your assessment about what shockwave is and is not likely to do for your problem.
We take a history, examine the foot and lower limb, and confirm the diagnosis. We will tell you whether shockwave is likely to help or whether a different approach (load management, orthoses, gait work, or onward referral) is the better starting point.
If shockwave is right for you, the applicator is held against the painful area and delivers a few thousand pulses over around 15 to 20 minutes. Most people describe a strong tapping sensation — uncomfortable but tolerable, and we adjust the intensity to what you can manage.
No dressings, no time off your feet, no special aftercare. We usually advise relative rest from peak loading (long runs, jumping) for a couple of days while the tissue settles.
Most courses are three sessions, typically a week apart. Some conditions benefit from a four- or five-session course. Improvement often continues for several weeks after the last session as healing finishes.
Shockwave suits most adults with chronic foot or lower-limb pain that has lasted three months or more and has not settled with first-line care. We would not treat you with shockwave if you are pregnant, on anticoagulants, have a known malignancy or active infection in the area, have a pacemaker or implanted electrical device near the treatment site, have peripheral vascular disease, or have an open wound where the applicator would sit. The assessment appointment is where we work that out together.
Shockwave is a private treatment — no GP referral is needed. Most patients book the three-session course as a starting point; we reassess at each visit and stop early if your symptoms have settled.
£80.00
Single DolorClast® radial shockwave session for plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and other persistent foot and lower-limb soft-tissue pain.
£225.00
Most commonly recommended course of three DolorClast® radial shockwave sessions, paid up-front (save £15 vs single sessions).
£300.00
Course of four DolorClast® radial shockwave sessions, paid up-front (save £20 vs single sessions).
£365.00
Extended course of five DolorClast® radial shockwave sessions, paid up-front (save £35 vs single sessions).
If shockwave is not the right fit, we will recommend a more appropriate option — load management, orthoses, gait work, or onward referral — and price it transparently.
Most people describe it as a strong tapping or pressure sensation rather than sharp pain. We adjust the intensity to what you can tolerate, and most patients settle into the rhythm within the first minute.
Most courses are three sessions, usually a week apart. Some conditions benefit from a four- or five-session course — we will agree the plan with you at the assessment and reassess at every visit.
Some patients notice a difference after the first session, but it is more common for improvement to build over the weeks following the final session as the tissue heals. We track your symptoms session by session.
Yes. There is no downtime. We usually advise easing off peak loading — long runs, jumping, heavy gym work — for a day or two while the tissue settles.
We would avoid shockwave if you are pregnant, on anticoagulants, have a malignancy or active infection in the area, have a pacemaker or implanted device near the treatment site, have peripheral vascular disease, or have an open wound where the applicator would sit.
ESWT is offered in some NHS musculoskeletal services but is not universally available. Foot Life is a private clinic — no GP referral is needed.
Same-week appointments are usually available at both clinics. If you are not sure whether shockwave is right for you, an assessment will tell you.
Or call Banbury on 01295 273 073 or Bicester on 01869 278 088.
