Foot and Ankle Pain Is Sidelining Charlotte Athletes, and Regenerative Care Keeps Them Moving
By Dr. Goodman, DC, and Dr. Bradberry, DC | ReliefNow Laser Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina
Why Foot and Ankle Pain Hits Charlotte Athletes So Hard
Charlotte’s running, CrossFit, cycling, soccer, and trail communities produce a steady volume of foot and ankle injuries. Runners on the greenways develop chronic plantar fasciitis. CrossFit athletes strain the Achilles. Soccer and basketball players across Mecklenburg County carry ankle sprains and chronic instability that return season after season. ReliefNow Laser Charlotte works with these athletes using Class IV laser therapy as part of its approach to foot and ankle care.
Chronic plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy are often described in the clinical literature as degenerative tendon conditions rather than purely inflammatory ones, which shapes how sports clinicians think about long-term care.
What the Research Says About Laser Therapy for Foot and Ankle Injuries
Several peer-reviewed sources have examined these injuries. Research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery has characterized chronic plantar fasciitis as a tendinosis, meaning disorganized collagen rather than simple inflammation. A 2014 randomized controlled trial in Lasers in Medical Science reported significant reductions in plantar fasciitis pain with laser therapy compared with ultrasound. Work in the American Journal of Sports Medicine has documented improvement in Achilles tendinopathy outcomes with laser therapy. And in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that chronic ankle instability affects roughly 40 percent of patients after an acute ankle sprain, which points to the value of restoring ligament tissue quality rather than relying on proprioceptive training alone.
How Movement Patterns Factor Into Recovery
Dr. Goodman trains in CrossFit and competes in 5k and Spartan races, so he understands what foot and ankle pain costs an athlete’s training. Dr. Bradberry runs, plays soccer and basketball, and holds a CCSP with specific competency in lower extremity sports injury management. Both doctors bring an athlete’s perspective along with the clinical training Charlotte’s active population looks for.
Dr. Goodman’s neurokinetic therapy training looks at the motor control contributors to foot and ankle injury, such as inhibited peroneals linked to ankle instability, an inhibited tibialis posterior linked to plantar fascial stress, and dysfunctional gluteal patterns that load the lower extremity chain. Addressing those movement patterns alongside laser therapy is part of how the clinic approaches the biomechanics behind an injury, not just the symptom.
Where to Learn More About ReliefNow Laser Charlotte
Readers can find more about the practice on the ReliefNow Laser Charlotte provider page and watch patient education on the ReliefNow Nation video channel. ReliefNow Laser Charlotte is located at 4601 Park Rd, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209, and can be reached at 704-527-7246.
About the Authors
Dr. Eric Goodman, DC, studied at UNC-Charlotte and Palmer College, with continuing education in neurokinetic therapy, acupuncture, laser, rehabilitation, and nutrition. He is a CrossFit athlete and a 5k and Spartan racer. Dr. Douglas Bradberry, DC, studied at the University of Florida and graduated with honors from Palmer College, and he holds a CCSP with experience in Olympic-level sports medicine. Both are providers in the national ReliefNow network, founded by Dr. Robert Hanopole, DC.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.









