Shock Wave Therapy

 

High pressure energy wave used for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems, particularly tendinopathies. It provides a mechanical stimulation.

 

Shock wave is responsible for:

 

• Increasing local blood flow, even in relatively avascular tissues.
• Stimulating the inflammatory response and thus enhancing tissue repair response.
• Taking tissue from more chronic to more acute state, providing a trigger to a stalled repair sequence.

Established effects include increased cellular activity, transient analgesic effect on afferent nerves, breakdown of calcification deposits. 3 to 5 sessions are effective for the majority of patients. It’s a non-invasive treatment and delivers fast relief of pain.

 

Shock wave is particularly useful in the treatment of:

 

• Calcification of shoulder tendons
• Supraspinatus tendonitis
• Bicipital tendonitis
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Golfers elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• Trochanteric bursitis
• Patella tendonitis
• Achilles tendinopathies
• Plantar fasciitis

Treatments with shockwave has been approved by NICE which agrees that “The weight of evidence is more supportive of the intervention than not." Anecdotal evidence is stronger and clinical studies have reported a success rate of above 75%.

 

Prof. Tim Watson, University of Hertfordshire

For further information look at www.electrotherapy.org