What Is Regenerative Medicine for Feet?
Regenerative medicine uses your body's own healing mechanisms to repair damaged tissue. Instead of just reducing pain or managing symptoms, these treatments actually stimulate tissue repair at the cellular level.
Here's what makes regenerative medicine different from traditional approaches. When you take anti-inflammatory medication or get a cortisone injection, you're addressing the symptom—the pain and inflammation. You'll feel better, sometimes dramatically better. But you haven't repaired the damaged tissue that caused the problem in the first place. Once the medication wears off, you're often right back where you started.
Regenerative treatments work differently. Shockwave therapy uses acoustic pressure waves to restart your body's healing response. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) concentrates the growth factors from your own blood and delivers them directly to damaged tissue. DPMx provides similar growth factors from ethically donated umbilical cord tissue when PRP isn't an option. And Remy Laser uses therapeutic light to reduce inflammation and accelerate tissue repair.
These aren't experimental treatments. They have FDA clearance, they're backed by solid research, and I use them in my Houston practice every day. Your body has remarkable healing capacity when given the right environment and the right signals.
Why Choose Regenerative Medicine?
It comes down to your goals. Some patients want to heal the damaged tissue, not just manage the symptoms. They want results that last because they've actually repaired what was broken.
Here's what I mean by that. Let's say you have chronic plantar fasciitis. Stretching helps. Ice helps. Anti-inflammatory medication helps. But if the plantar fascia tissue itself is damaged—if it's breaking down faster than your body can repair it—those treatments are managing the problem, not solving it. Regenerative medicine addresses the root cause by stimulating actual tissue repair.
Your goals matter. Maybe you're an athlete who needs to return to high-level activity. Maybe you've been dealing with chronic pain and you're tired of temporary fixes. Maybe you want to avoid the downsides of repeated cortisone injections or long-term medication use. These are all valid reasons to consider regenerative approaches.
And here's what's important: you get to choose your treatment path. Some patients start with regenerative medicine because it aligns with their timeline and goals. Others prefer trying conservative options first, then moving to regenerative treatments if needed. Both approaches are valid—it depends on what you're hoping to achieve and how quickly you need to get there.
Who's a Good Candidate for Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine works well for anyone with damaged tissue who wants actual healing rather than symptom management. I see athletes who need to return to competition. I see runners who want to keep training. I see patients who've had chronic pain for months or years and they're ready for an approach that addresses the underlying problem.
The most common conditions I treat with regenerative medicine include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, Morton's neuroma, chronic heel pain, ankle sprains, and posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. What these conditions have in common is damaged tissue that hasn't healed on its own.
But there are some situations where I won't offer regenerative medicine. If you're pregnant, if you have active cancer, if you have severe circulation problems, or if you have an active infection—these are medical contraindications. I need to make sure regenerative treatment is safe for your specific situation. And sometimes, custom orthotics or other approaches make more sense based on what's going on with your feet.
How Regenerative Treatments Work
Different treatments work through different mechanisms, and we often combine them because they work better together. Each treatment serves a specific purpose in the healing process. Think of it like renovating a house—you need different tools for different jobs. A hammer, a saw, a drill. Each does something the others can't, and together they get the job done more effectively than any one tool alone.
Shockwave Therapy - Restarting Your Healing Response
Shockwave therapy uses acoustic pressure waves—not electric shocks, despite the name—to restart your body's stalled healing response. I've used it on myself when I had plantar fasciitis, so I know exactly what it feels like.
Here's what's actually happening. The pressure waves do three things. First, they break up scar tissue and calcifications that have formed in the damaged area. Second, they stimulate increased blood flow, bringing oxygen and nutrients to tissue that needs them. Third, and most important, they trigger the release of growth factors and stem cells that signal your body to start repairing the damage.
What does it feel like? You'll feel a tapping sensation as the pressure waves are delivered to the painful area. The intensity can be adjusted for comfort, though mild discomfort actually indicates we're treating the right spot. Most patients rate it about 4-5 out of 10. Each session takes 10-15 minutes, and we typically do three sessions spaced a week apart.
The results speak for themselves. More than 80% of patients find their pain resolved after the full treatment protocol. For plantar fasciitis specifically, we see success rates around 82%. It almost makes surgery obsolete for heel pain.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) - Your Body's Concentrated Healing Signals
I call PRP "liquid gold for healing." It uses the growth factors from your own blood to signal tissue repair exactly where you need it.
Here's the process. We draw a small amount of blood from your arm, just like a routine blood test. While we prepare the injection site, that blood goes into a centrifuge that spins it at high speed to separate the different components. What we're after is the plasma that's rich in platelets—those platelets contain powerful growth factors that tell your body to send healing cells to the injured area.
Using ultrasound guidance, I inject the concentrated PRP directly into the damaged tissue. Unlike treatments that just reduce inflammation, PRP actually signals your body to repair the damage. The growth factors trigger new blood vessel formation, stimulate tissue regeneration, and create an environment where healing can finally complete.
What does it feel like? The injection itself is about 5-6 out of 10 in terms of discomfort. You'll have some soreness for a few days afterward, which is normal—that's the healing process getting started. The entire appointment takes 30-45 minutes.
For chronic tendon problems like Achilles tendinitis, we see 70-80% of patients experience significant improvement. The results tend to be lasting because you've actually healed the tissue, not just masked the symptoms.
DPMx - The Alternative When PRP Isn't an Option
Some patients can't have PRP—maybe they're on blood thinners, maybe they have a clotting disorder. For these patients, I typically use DPMx.
DPMx comes from human umbilical cord tissue that's been ethically donated. It contains the same growth factors and signaling proteins that PRP provides, just delivered through a different source. Think of it as a different delivery system for the same message your body needs to hear.
The injection process is similar to PRP, and the timeline for results is comparable. It's an excellent option to have available for patients who would otherwise be excluded from regenerative treatment.
Remy Laser - Accelerating Tissue Repair
Here's what makes the Remy Laser different: it feels good. While you're getting treatment, you'll feel a pleasant warm sensation on your foot. It's comfortable, not painful, which means patients actually look forward to their sessions instead of dreading them.
The Class IV therapeutic laser penetrates deep into tissue and works through three mechanisms. It reduces pain signals at the nerve level. It decreases inflammation by improving circulation and reducing the tissue damage that causes pain in the first place. And it stimulates cellular energy production, which accelerates your body's natural repair processes.
Unlike treatments that just block pain, the laser reduces the underlying tissue damage causing the pain. We typically do six sessions over three weeks—twice weekly visits that take 10-15 minutes each. There's no discomfort, no downtime, and it combines beautifully with all our other regenerative approaches.
Supporting Treatments
Red light therapy and BPC-157 peptide can enhance the healing environment when combined with our primary regenerative treatments. These aren't replacements—they're supportive therapies that help optimize your body's repair processes.
Combining Regenerative Treatments for Better Results
Different treatments address different aspects of healing. That's why combination therapy often works better than any single approach alone.
When we combine shockwave therapy with PRP, for example, the shockwave breaks up scar tissue and stimulates blood flow while the PRP delivers concentrated growth factors to that newly receptive tissue. They work together—each makes the other more effective.
Some common combinations I use: shockwave with PRP for stubborn plantar fasciitis; shockwave with Remy Laser for chronic Achilles pain; PRP or DPMx combined with shockwave and Remy for comprehensive tissue repair. For sports injuries, I often use combination approaches to get athletes back to competition as quickly and safely as possible. Success rates with combination approaches can reach 85-95%, compared to 70-80% with single treatments.
Your treatment plan depends on your specific condition and what you're hoping to achieve. When you come in, we'll evaluate exactly what's going on and discuss which approach makes the most sense for your situation.
Wondering if regenerative medicine is right for your foot pain? Let's discuss your specific situation and goals. Call us at 713-785-7881 or request an appointment online.
What to Expect: The Treatment Process
When you come in to my Houston office, I'll start by doing a physical exam and reviewing any imaging you've had done. But most importantly, I need to understand your goals. What do you want to get back to doing? Are you training for a race? Do you want to walk without pain? Are you looking to avoid long-term medication? Your goals drive the treatment plan.
After the exam, we'll discuss which treatment or combination of treatments makes the most sense for your specific situation. I'll explain exactly how each works, what you can realistically expect in terms of timeline and results, and what the treatment will feel like. Some patients need just one approach. Others benefit from combining treatments. It depends on what's going on with your foot and what you're trying to achieve.
The treatments themselves are done right here in the office. A PRP or DPMx injection takes about 30-45 minutes from start to finish. Shockwave therapy sessions run 10-15 minutes. Remy Laser treatments are also 10-15 minutes. You'll walk out immediately after any of these procedures. For PRP or DPMx, I recommend avoiding high-impact activities for a few days while the healing process gets started, but normal walking is fine. After shockwave or Remy treatments, there are no activity restrictions.
We'll track your healing progress with follow-up visits. If we need to adjust your plan based on how you're responding, we will. I'm with you through the healing process, not just the treatment day.
What Houston Patients Ask Me About Regenerative Medicine
How long until I see results? The honest answer: it's not overnight. Tissue healing takes time, which is one reason regenerative medicine works—you're actually rebuilding tissue, not just masking symptoms.
Most patients notice initial improvement within 2-4 weeks. You'll feel less pain, notice better function, find it easier to do activities that were difficult before. But the full benefit develops over 3-6 months as the tissue continues to remodel and strengthen. The results last because you've healed the tissue, not just covered up the problem.
This is different from cortisone, which can make you feel better fast but doesn't repair anything. With regenerative medicine, you're trading a longer timeline for results that actually last.
How Do I Know Which Treatment Is Right for Me?
It depends on your specific condition, your goals, and your timeline. Some patients benefit from a single treatment approach. Others need combination therapy for comprehensive tissue repair.
When you come in, we'll evaluate exactly what's going on with your foot and discuss which treatment or combination makes the most sense for what you're trying to achieve. If you're dealing with running injuries and need to get back to training, that guides the approach differently than chronic pain that's been bothering you for years.
Your goals matter more than following some predetermined protocol. This is your foot, your timeline, your decision.
What If Regenerative Medicine Doesn't Work for Me?
I need to set realistic expectations here. Regenerative medicine has success rates between 80-95% depending on the specific condition and which treatments we use. That's excellent. But it also means 5-20% of patients may need a different approach.
If regenerative medicine doesn't give you the results you're hoping for, we'll discuss other options. You're not worse off for trying it—you've given your body every opportunity to heal. And we'll have learned important information about your condition that helps guide what comes next.
Making Your Decision
Some patients choose to start with regenerative medicine because they want to heal damaged tissue from the beginning. Others prefer trying conservative options first—stretching, orthotics, activity modifications—and then moving to regenerative treatments if those don't provide the relief they're looking for. Some want to combine approaches right from the start.
All of these paths are valid. It depends on your priorities, your timeline, and what you're hoping to achieve. There's no "right" answer—just the right answer for you. I'm here to explain your options and help you understand what each approach offers, not to tell you what to do.
Regenerative Medicine for Foot Pain: Final Thoughts
Regenerative medicine offers a way to heal damaged tissue, not just manage symptoms. Whether you're dealing with plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, chronic heel pain, or another condition where tissue has broken down, these treatments can stimulate your body's own repair processes. They can be used as a primary treatment approach or combined with other options based on your specific goals.
Your goals and preferences matter. You don't have to wait until you've tried everything else. You don't have to settle for just managing pain when healing might be possible.
If you're curious about whether regenerative medicine is right for your situation, let's talk. Contact Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider at 713-785-7881 or request an appointment online. We'll discuss your condition, your goals, and which approach to healing makes the most sense for what you're trying to achieve. I'm here to help you make an informed decision that's right for you.
