What is Shockwave Therapy?
In short, it is the use of mechanical shocks that “reboot” the body’s response to an injury. This is why it is effectively used in conditions where patients have reached a plateau despite having had or receiving other treatments for the injury.
Shockwave stimulates cells in the body that are responsible for bone and connective tissue healing. In many instances, shockwave therapy is most effective in cases where the human body has been unable to heal itself on its own. These high energy acoustic waves that are transmitted through the surface of the skin are spread radially into the body and the body responds with increased metabolic activity around the area of the pain. This stimulates and accelerates the healing process and is especially useful for those suffering from chronic heel, shoulder, knee, achilles,and elbow pain.
Shockwave therapy or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is an innovative, cost-effective, evidence-based treatment for tendon pain (often known as tendinitis or tendinopathy) and other conditions throughout the body. Extracorporeal means outside of the body.
Shockwave therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment with convincing evidence for its effectiveness from a large body of research and clinical trials. There are now multiple, randomised, double-blinded clinical trials that support the use of shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis, lateral epicondylitis, and calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.
What conditions can be treated with Shockwave Therapy?
- Tennis elbow
- Calcific tendinopathy
- Golfer’s elbow
- Insertional Achilles tendinopathy
- Mid portion Achilles tendinopathy
- Plantar fasciitis
- Proximal hamstring tendinopathy
- Patella tendinopathy
- Greater trochanter pain syndrome
- Rotator cuff tendinopathies
- TMJ (jaw) problems
How does Shockwave Therapy work?
Shockwave therapy uses a specialist device to deliver acoustic energy to the injured part of the body. These waves are mechanical, it is not an electrical shock.
Shockwave works in 2 ways:
Firstly, it desensitises nerve endings and secondly by causing controlled micro-trauma to the tissues it stimulates the body to increase circulation and metabolism in the treated area. This will activate and accelerate the body’s own healing response
The shockwaves can also “break down” disorganised tissue and calcifications.
