With almost 30 years of experience, Dr. Daniel Shanahan, DPM, FACFAS is committed to providing comprehensive care to help his patients get back to a normal life as soon as possible. To accomplish this goal, Dr. Shanahan takes a tech-savvy approach to podiatry and leverages technology with innovative treatment methods to provide the highest standard of care.
Dr. Shanahan’s initial impression of therapy lasers was less than stellar after hearing stories of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) patients experiencing limited results. However, his perception of lasers changed when a colleague introduced him to MLS® Laser Therapy from Cutting Edge Laser Technologies.
MLS is a unique type of Class 4 laser that utilizes a patented delivery system that synchronizes dual wavelengths as well as simultaneous continuous and pulsed emissions. By doing so, MLS takes advantage of each wavelength’s benefits to more effectively manage pain and inflammation associated with a wide range of conditions.
Intrigued, Dr. Shanahan began his research and soon realized how his practice, Lakes Foot and Ankle Associates in Commerce Township, Michigan, could benefit from this technology. After purchasing his laser from Cutting Edge, he hit the ground running and the laser became a huge asset to his practice by improving patient care and benefiting their bottom line.
Dr. Shanahan offers MLS to virtually all his surgical patients. “We have a protocol here where it gets presented at the pre-op visit and out of those patients that it’s presented to I would easily say 9 out of 10 undergo our post-op laser program and 100% are thrilled that they did it,” explains Dr. Shanahan.
Dr. Shanahan has hundreds of MLS success stories, but he is most impressed with his Lapidus bunionectomy patients. “This procedure inherently may have a lot of pain and swelling. Since adding in the MLS therapy, this has absolutely squashed so much of that so patients are much more comfortable and their end healing results look incredible.”
He has also seen fantastic results by pairing MLS with procedures to repair Achilles tendon ruptures. He cited one of his current patients who is returning to normal activities, such as riding a bike, within three months after his surgery for a major rupture.
To achieve these results, Lakes Foot and Ankle offers six 15 to 20-minute MLS sessions over a span of two weeks post-operation. After the sixth session, the patient’s progress is evaluated to determine if additional treatments are necessary to achieve desired results.
Dr. Shanahan also offers MLS pre-operation so patients can live more comfortably with reduced symptoms until they undergo surgery.
For some conditions, such as plantar fasciitis, MLS has almost eliminated the need for surgery. Since adopting MLS in 2016, Dr. Shanahan reports doing far fewer endoscopic fasciotomies than before. “We have become very skilled at managing heel pain. I have a very effective protocol for managing heel pain and the MLS laser has been a phenomenal addition to that.”
Overall, patients at Lakes Foot and Ankle Associates have been open-minded to MLS because they are looking for natural, safer, and faster ways to get better after surgery. When proposing this treatment option, Dr. Shanahan and his staff have a streamlined process to make sure each patient gets the education that they need to make an informed decision. Utilizing staff has become their key to success when educating patients and making them feel comfortable with engaging in the MLS process.
Due to its success rate, Lakes Foot and Ankle has seen an increase in new patients for MLS Laser Therapy. “People are referring new patients left and right for laser therapy because they are seeking safer, non-invasive treatments and want to avoid the toxicity and risks of drugs. They’re hearing how effective this is and how comprehensive our services are.”
With MLS Laser Therapy, Lakes Foot and Ankle Associates was able leverage technology to meet patient demands for risk-free, pain-free relief of post-operative pain while also minimizing their reliance on insurance companies with a cash-based modality.
