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More about Shockwave Therapy
A method of increasing popularity and availability, shock wave therapy is used to treat musculoskeletal pain. It can be particularly useful in cases of pain that lasts for over three months.
In my practice, I apply it particularly to treat heel spurs or tendon issues.
Historical events were crucial to the discovery of the impact of shock waves on human body. Underwater bomb explosions during World War II generated waves capable of traveling over distance and damaging lung tissue in those within their range of impact.
The first medical application of shock waves dates back to the 1950s. Between 1968 and 1971 animal-based studies were conducted in Germany and led to shock waves being utilized to treat kidney stones. Then, in 1985, they were also used in cases of cholelithiasis (gallstones). Around the same time, data started emerging on the benefits of shock wave therapy in bone fractures (through its impact on osteoblast activation). The first device (called Ossatron) that allowed for SWT application in orthopedic cases was introduced in 1993. Soon after, more research was published confirming the advantages of SWT in tennis elbow and heel spurs.
Shock wave is an acoustic wave produced as a result of a significant increase in pressure. In physiotherapy it is typically applied onto the site of chronic pain. Shock wave therapy precipitates healing by increasing blood flow, activating metabolism, stimulating removal of calcified fibroblasts (cells of the connective tissue) and promoting collagen production. It also reduces muscle tension.
The benefits of SWT include short duration of treatment and a relatively low number of appointments – in most cases just three to five treatments yield results. Patients quickly regain mobility without experiencing side effects, their pain subsides and blood vessels around the targeted area are stimulated to grow.
SWT is currently used in tendinitis, heel spur, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, jumper’s knee, hip and shoulder pain, muscle strains, post-injury recovery, enthesopathies, tendinopathies, and rotator cuff injuries. It is important to mention that the number of shock wave therapy applications continuously grows, especially in sports medicine. Sometimes SWT can be considered as an interesting alternative to surgery.
As stated before, the most satisfactory outcomes of SWT are seen in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, heel spur and shoulder pain. What’s more, these treatments are minimally invasive in nature, relieve pain and stimulate soft tissue regeneration.
What is the treatment like? A specialized device generates shock waves and appropriate pressure within approximately 10 nanoseconds. After the transducer is placed over the targeted site, the waves penetrate up to a few centimetres into the surrounding tissues. Different transducers can be used based on the character and severity of the patient’s condition. A single treatment lasts approximately five to ten minutes. Five of those treatments are typically performed in four- to seven-day intervals but this number can be adjusted individually based on the assessment of the patient.
Depending on the type of condition being treated, modifications can be made to the type of waves, impulse frequency and penetration depth.