At her Finesse Footcare in Lyndhurst, Dr. Danielle Shaper invests in the latest treatments for feet, helping patients stay active and avoid surgery

By Patricia Nugent

Dr. Danielle Shaper is on a mission to bring conservative, minimally invasive podiatry to Cleveland. She founded Finesse Footcare in 2019 in Lyndhurst and has since earned a reputation for researching and introducing cutting-edge treatments that are viable alternatives to surgery.

“Whether you’re a child, adult, older adult, high-performance athlete, couch potato or diabetic, the landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years in the comprehensive level of treatment we can follow to treat foot issues,” says Dr. Shaper, who, as a dancer, has a unique appreciation for the well-being of the feet. “The intricate structure of the foot is connected to the functioning and performance of the rest of the body.”

Changing the Foot’s Biomechanics
Often the first conservative step is custom orthotic shoe inserts to realign the biomechanics of the foot.

Dr. Shaper takes a digital impression of the patient’s feet and sends it to a lab to make the inserts. She wears orthotics herself both in athletic shoes and dress shoes to correct her gait and prevent certain conditions.

For her many patients suffering from burning, stabbing heel pain, Dr. Shaper introduced Radial Shockwave therapy, which painlessly transfers mechanical energy to the foot through a hand-held device. Pulsed energy heals inflamed tissue by increasing circulation on a cellular level and boosting the immune system’s natural response.

Her patients have been delighted with the dramatic reduction in pain.

“We’ve also found the therapy treats much more than just heel pain, as it addresses inflammation, tendinitis, Achilles conditions and ankle sprains,” she says.

In addition to Radial Shockwave therapy, Dr. Shaper works with a soft-tissue F/X laser to treat pain and many other ailments, as well as cortisone injections and taping.

Regenerative Care
Perhaps one of the most advanced modalities of treatment Dr. Shaper has introduced is regenerative treatment through amniotic injections.

“It’s really next-generation in terms of care,” she says. “We’ve been seeing remarkable results across the board, such as improved conditions including plantar fasciitis, neuromas and Achilles tendon issues.”

Amniotic injections are different from stem cell injections.

“Stem cell injections use embryonic stem cells or the patient’s own stem cells harvested from fat or bone,” she explains. “Amniotic injections are made up of the highly concentrated nutrients taken from the amniotic membrane that can regenerate tissue. They have strong anti-inflammatory and healing properties, encouraging the tissue to regrow and heal itself.”

She says nearly everyone over 18 years of age is a candidate for amniotic injections.

“I’m excited to be able to help athletes and student-athletes heal more quickly,” she says. “For many kids, especially high school athletes who are being recruited by colleges to play a sport, taking a season off because of surgery can be detrimental. Amniotic injections are a serious game-changer for their future.”

Optimum Results
Dr. Shaper oftentimes combines more than one modality for the optimum results.

“Some of these treatments may take a little longer to become effective,” she says. “But since there’s no recovery time, I feel they are still, in most cases, a more positive alternative to surgery.”

As a full-service podiatrist, Dr. Shaper treats most foot and ankle issues, such as ingrown toenails, bunions, heel pain, hammertoes and corns. She also offers diabetic footcare, orthotics, sports medicine and surgery, as well as basic routine foot care.

“When I hear that patients have gone years suffering from painful feet, it’s heartbreaking,” she says. “I can almost always heal and improve their conditions.”

Goodbye Toenail Fungus
Anyone who has ever suffered from the unsightly condition of toenail fungus can appreciate how difficult it is to get rid of.

The treatment options traditionally available include oral medications, which can cause side effects, and topical medications, which often produce mediocre results because they don’t effectively penetrate the nail bed.

Dr. Danielle Shaper founded her practice on tapping into medical breakthroughs that treat conditions in a different way. She introduced the FDA-approved, non-thermal Lunula laser to the area two years ago and the successful outcomes have spoken for themselves. It painlessly penetrates the nail to kill the fungus and promote healing.

“I was pleased to be able to offer a solution to my patients, many of whom have been suffering with fungus for years,” she says. To keep up with demand, Dr. Shaper purchased a second laser so patients can have both feet treated during the same visit.

With no pain or downtime, the patient simply places his or her feet under the laser for 12 minutes.

“This is a condition you shouldn’t ignore,” she cautions. “Fungus is more than just unappealing to look at. Left untreated, it can lead to a slew of other more dangerous issues, such as cellulitis, a bacterial infection that can enter the bloodstream.”

Finesse Footcare is located at 5035 Mayfield Road in Lyndhurst. The practice accepts a wide variety of insurance plans and financing options are available. Call 216-382-8070 or visit FinesseFootcare.com for more information.