Shockwave & Morton's Neuroma: New Research

A recent paper published in Cureus examines the role of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in the management of Morton's neuroma, exploring its place in clinical practice. For patients living with this painful condition, emerging evidence around non-surgical options is always worth examining carefully alongside the full range of available treatments.

Our take: This is a limited area of evidence, with small patient numbers and relatively short follow-up. While some studies suggest that extracorporeal shockwave therapy may reduce pain in selected cases of Morton’s neuroma-type pain, the current research does not yet provide strong evidence that it offers reliable or lasting resolution.

At the London Podiatry Centre, we do have shockwave therapy available and have used it in the management of this condition. However, our clinical experience has been consistently disappointing. In our view, shockwave does not offer anything close to the success rates we see with other treatments provided within our facility.

Morton’s neuroma, or bursa neuroma complex, is often a chronic mechanical and nerve-related problem. In established cases, particularly where there is persistent compression between the metatarsals or a larger lesion, a treatment aimed mainly at pain modulation may not be enough to address the underlying pathology.

For this reason, while shockwave remains a treatment worth studying, we are not currently convinced that it represents the way forward for the long-term management of Morton’s neuroma. Our preference remains to base treatment decisions on careful clinical assessment, ultrasound findings, neuroma size, symptom severity and the patient’s individual goals.

About the author
Mr Ron McCulloch — Consultant Podiatric Surgeon, Centre Director, and specialist in clinical biomechanics, gait analysis and Morton's neuroma.

Source: Cureus · https://londonpodiatry.com/en/specialities/mortons-neuroma/