Prolotherapy for Foot & Toe Pain

Nicole was a 21 year old with chronic big toe pain after a bunionectomy she had at the age of 13. The surgery left her with pain and sensitivity along the scar as well which made almost all footwear uncomfortable. Being on her feet for longer than an hour or walking more than a mile became increasingly painful and discouraging. She was treated twice with traditional dextrose Prolotherapy into and around the metatarsophalangeal joint along with Neural therapy to the surgical scar which helps to stop the pain and tingling from sensitive scars. After treatment, she was able to wear whatever shoes she wanted and being on her feet for hours was no longer an agonizing ordeal. Eventually, Nicole ended up back in our office for Prolotherapy to a knee injury she incurred years later while training for a triathlon. She said the bunion pain was such a distant memory that she often forgets she ever had any problem. The surgical scar is the only reminder.

AS was a 58-year-old athlete who developed pain, numbness, and swelling in her feet. She would experience sharp pain while running which greatly affected her ability to train for marathons. Before coming to Caring Medical, she received cortisone injections and laser therapy to her feet prior to each race which only offered temporary relief. She tried Prolotherapy, but was inconsistent with the recommended treatment course. Upon her decision to complete the recommended treatment, we performed 3 rounds of comprehensive Prolotherapy with Platelet Rich Plasma to both feet. After her last Prolotherapy session, AS reported she was able to run an entire half marathon without foot pain and her constant numbness had resolved!

Virginia was 65 years old and had already dealt with big toe pain for a year before reaching out to Caring Medical. She had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and told there “was not much that could be done” by a local orthopedic surgeon. She experienced sharp pains in her toe which became severe when she walked. As someone who spent all day on her feet for work, she needed a second opinion. She was seen at Caring Medical for a dextrose Prolotherapy series consisting of 4 treatments. Afterward, she reported 100% pain relief!

Brett came to Caring Medical at age 41 after dealing with constant foot pain for many years. He had been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and tarsal tunnel syndrome. Brett attended 30 sessions of physical therapy with no improvement. The pain worsened to the point of causing him to limp. This abnormal gait began to affect other joints as well. He felt the pain was greatly affecting his daily life. After 4 rounds of Comprehensive Prolotherapy, Brett was able to regain quality of life and return to exercise pain-free!

JK was an athletic 32 year-old who developed heel pain after playing basketball. After being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, he tried many therapies, including rest, NSAIDs, oral steroids, physical therapy, active release therapy, cortisone injection, and orthotics. Despite his efforts, he experienced constant pain for 8 months before consulting with Caring Medical. JK received 4 treatments of comprehensive Prolotherapy which alleviated his pain and allowed him to return to full activity!

PF began experiencing foot pain in her late 60’s. By the time she came to Caring Medical she had been dealing with what was diagnosed as plantar fasciitis for more than 5 years. She tried many conservative treatments to stop the pain from preventing her from having an active lifestyle, including physical therapy, orthotics, icing, stretching, and NSAIDs, which could only offer temporary relief, and did not resolve the pain. Unfortunately, PF had to stop playing pickle ball due to foot pain. When we saw PF, physical examination clearly showed ankle instability that was never addressed. PF received a total of four dextrose prolotherapy treatments to comprehensively treat both the medial and lateral ankle. We were thrilled to learn upon follow-up that PF had been able to walk all around while vacationing overseas as well as return to pain-free pickle ball! It is awesome to see how Prolotherapy can help people achieve functional goals that greatly improve their quality of life and ability to exercise!

KD, an active 54-year-old, had lived with foot pain due to neuroma for over a decade, until it was no longer tolerable. She would experience intense pain in her toes when walking without shoes. After consulting with one of our Prolotherapists, KD was advised to limit running and jumping for a few weeks and that a few Prolotherapy treatments should resolve the issue that had caused more than a decade of pain. As she improved more after each treatment, she was cleared to slowly return to full activity with the condition that she tape her toes while getting back to running. After her third treatment of Prolotherapy, she had returned to running and CrossFit with minimal pain. A fourth and final treatment was performed which led to KD graduating from her Prolotherapy series!

After PH was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, she followed the route of traditional medicine in hopes of a cure for about 6 years. She tried physical therapy, wearing a boot, stretching, ice, orthotics, and NSAIDs. Nothing provided complete relief and every podiatrist she consulted with had a different opinion. PH was in her early 70s and suffering from constant pain along the bottom of her foot when she came to Caring Medical. She was an avid golfer and loved playing pickleball, but had to stop both activities due to her foot pain. Upon physical exam, it was determined her foot pain was due to ankle instability. She received 4 rounds of comprehensive [H3] Prolotherapy to her ankle over a period of 5 months. Her immediate goal was to be able to enjoy an upcoming vacation which would require daily walking on varying terrain. After her 4th treatment, she spent 19 days traveling and walking Europe without foot pain! She also returned to playing golf and pickleball pain-free!

JD suffered from chronic pain for many years in her big toes. For several years she repeated cortisone injections every 6 months and acupuncture every few weeks. By age 60, her big toes became “frozen” and quite painful whenever she would wear shoes. This was not ideal for someone who normally enjoyed running 4 days each week. Surgery was recommended for hallux rigidus. Knowing she was seeking a surgical alternative, one of her doctors recommended consulting with Caring Medical. After her first Prolotherapy treatment, JD reported 100% pain relief and improved range of motion in her left big toe. The right big toe still felt inflamed constantly and was not progressing as well after the first treatment. The decision was then made to try a more aggressive treatment for the right big toe using Platelet Rich Plasma Prolotherapy, which improved her pain significantly. In total, JD underwent a total of 4 treatments to her right toe which alleviated her pain 100%. When following-up 18 months later, she confirmed that she was able to avoid surgery for both toes and is now living a pain-free life! 

Rachel developed constant heel pain from plantar fasciitis at age 53. The burning and sharp pains were severe enough to cause her to limp and would wake her up at night. She had tried stretching and rolling it out, which did not resolve the pain. After 5 treatments of comprehensive Prolotherapy, her foot pain was 100% alleviated! She can now take long walks as often as she pleases.