Shockwave Therapy
What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment to deliver high-frequency acoustic waves to relieve pain and stimulate healing of injured tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues.
What injuries can be treated with shockwave therapy?
- Foot pain: Plantar fasciitis and Achilles’ tendinopathy
- Achilles' tendinopathy
- Knee pain: Patella tendinopathy (jumper’s knee)
- Leg pain: Hamstring injuries
- Hip pain: Rectus femoris and lateral hip pain with gluteal tendinopathies
- Elbow pain: Golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow
- Shoulder pain: Rotator cuff injuries
- Stress fracture
How does shockwave therapy work?
The shockwaves are sent directly into the injured tissues, stimulating increased blood flow and growth hormones to the area, promoting new tissue growth
There are two types of shockwave therapy. Usually, patients receive both types:
- Focused shockwave therapy sends waves into a small area.
- Radial shockwave therapy delivers shockwaves over a broader area, for instance, along the length of an injured tendon.
Depending on the injury, a patient will usually receive four to six treatments over a period of several weeks.
Each treatment session takes 15-20 minutes to perform
Are there any side effects or complications?
They are almost no side effects to shockwave therapy. Most patients experience some discomfort during shockwave therapy. The amount of discomfort depends in part on the person, their injury, and whether the damaged tissues are close to a bone. (Treatments delivered closer to a bone are generally more uncomfortable.). The discomfort usually subsides quickly after treatment. It is advisable to avoid strenuous activity for 48 hours after treatment.
How effective is shockwave therapy?
In general, the effectiveness of shockwave therapy tends to be above 75% based on the report from clinical studies. The compliance with treatment and the physiotherapy rehabilitation program are important factors in achieving optimal results.