What Is the Science Behind Holistic Podiatry?

Holistic podiatry is grounded in science-backed regenerative principles and holistic anatomy. Rather than masking symptoms with medications or defaulting to surgery, it focuses on stimulating the body’s natural healing processes—especially in tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves. This is achieved through evidence-informed therapies such as regenerative injections (e.g., homeopathics, prolotherapy, PRP, ozone), hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and targeted nutrition delivered via IV therapy.

Key Points

• Root-Cause Focus: Holistic podiatry investigates why pain or injury occurred—not just where it hurts—by assessing biomechanics, inflammation, joint stability, and tissue healing capacity.
• Regenerative Therapies: Treatments such as homeopathics, prolotherapy, PRP, and ozone injections activate localized repair mechanisms to heal damaged tissues without surgery.
• Oxygen & Nutrient Delivery: Modalities such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and IV nutrition increase cellular energy (ATP), collagen production, and tissue regeneration—key to faster, more complete recovery.
• Minimally Invasive: All treatments are designed to avoid unnecessary surgeries and drugs, relying instead on techniques that promote long-term structural repair and inflammation control.

How It Works in the Body

When tendons, ligaments, nerves, or joints are damaged—from overuse, trauma, or aging—the body sometimes fails to fully repair the area, leaving behind microtears and scar tissue or inflammation that cause chronic pain or instability.

Holistic podiatry uses regenerative injections to reignite the healing cycle by:

• Triggering mild, localized inflammation that recruits healing cells
• Increasing collagen production for stronger connective tissue
• Improving soft tissue alignment and joint stability

Paired with oxygen therapy and targeted nutrients, this approach accelerates tissue recovery, reduces pain, and restores function naturally.

How It Differs from Conventional Approaches

Why It’s Not Just Theory

Holistic podiatry is supported by a growing body of clinical trials on regenerative therapies such as prolotherapy and PRP. Studies show significant pain reduction and improved function in patients with:

• Chronic tendon pain
• Moderate to severe arthritis
• Chronic joint pain
• Ankle sprains and soft tissue injuries
• Chronic nerve pain

These therapies don’t just patch the problem; they retrain the body to heal more completely and naturally, without the downsides of steroids or surgery.

Our Approach at Kim Foot & Ankle

At Kim Foot & Ankle in Long Beach, CA, Dr. Don Kim uses a proven combination of regenerative injections, advanced diagnostics, and nutrient therapy to help patients:

• Avoid unnecessary foot or ankle surgery
• Heal sprains, tendon injuries, arthritis, nerve pain, and post-surgical complications.
• Get back to their favorite activities—pain-free

When To Seek Care Urgently

Call emergency services for sudden weakness or numbness, severe headache, vision loss, trouble speaking, chest pain, or other red-flag symptoms—these could indicate stroke or another emergency.

Sources (Authoritative Overviews)

Henning PR, Grear BJ. Platelet-rich plasma in the foot and ankle. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2018 Dec;11(4):616-623. doi: 10.1007/s12178-018-9522-z. PMID: 30259330; PMCID: PMC6220005.

Jiménez-Pérez AE, Gonzalez-Arabio D, Diaz AS, Maderuelo JA, Ramos-Pascua LR. Clinical and imaging effects of corticosteroids and platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: A comparative non randomized prospective study. Foot Ankle Surg. 2019 Jun;25(3):354-360. doi: 10.1016/j.fas.2018.01.005. Epub 2018 Feb 9. PMID: 30321976.

Rabago D, Patterson JJ, Mundt M, Kijowski R, Grettie J, Segal NA, Zgierska A. Dextrose prolotherapy for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Fam Med. 2013 May-Jun;11(3):229-37. doi: 10.1370/afm.1504. Erratum in: Ann Fam Med. 2013 Sep-Oct;11(5):480. PMID: 23690322; PMCID: PMC3659139.

Chung MW, Hsu CY, Chung WK, Lin YN. Effects of dextrose prolotherapy on tendinopathy, fasciopathy, and ligament injuries, fact or myth?: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Nov 13;99(46):e23201. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023201. PMID: 33181700; PMCID: PMC7668443.

Yildiz KM, Guler H, Ogut H, Yildizgoren MT, Turhanoglu AD. A comparison between hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy and conventional physiotherapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Med Int (Lond). 2023 Aug 29;3(5):45. doi: 10.3892/mi.2023.105. PMID: 37745156; PMCID: PMC10514571.

Capotosto S, Nazemi AK, Komatsu DE, Penna J. Prolotherapy in the Treatment of Sports-Related Tendinopathies: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024 Nov 4;12(11):23259671241275087. doi: 10.1177/23259671241275087. PMID: 39502373; PMCID: PMC11536850.

Next Steps

Download Dr. Kim’s Free Guide: 9 Secrets to Holistic Foot Health
Watch the Free Regenerative Therapy Masterclass
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Don Kim, DPM, Kim Foot & Ankle Center, Long Beach, CA

Medically Reviewed By Dr. Don Kim, DPM
Last Updated: October 23, 2025