Shockwave therapy

 

How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive form of treatment for a variety of sports injuries and soft tissue conditions. It’s a proven, effective alternative to surgery and is often more comfortable than other pain therapies.

The treatment works by sending pulses of energy to an injured area through a small handheld device that’s similar to an ultrasound wand. Shockwaves are very short and can be transmitted deep into the muscle or tendon to help speed up the body’s natural healing process.

In addition to causing a brief amount of local inflammation, the shockwaves trigger blood flow to the area and stimulate stem cells to activate. This increases the body’s ability to regenerate and heal damaged tissues, which reduces pain.

Compared to other forms of therapy for sports injuries and tendon problems, Shockwave therapy can be highly effective at reducing symptoms, restoring movement and improving quality of life. Studies suggest that it can improve pain, function and patient satisfaction in patients with a variety of tendinopathies including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy.

It’s an FDA and TGA approved therapy and is considered safe, especially compared with other surgical alternatives. It also doesn’t cause the complications that come with surgery, making it an excellent option for patients who want a quick, minimally invasive alternative to pain management.

Before treatment, your therapist will apply an ultrasound gel to the affected area and move the device over it. The gel helps to transmit the shockwaves through the skin.

Once the device is in place, your therapist will press down and push the head of the device over the affected area, applying light pressure to the skin. The device generates sound waves that stimulate blood flow to the affected area and cause a small amount of localised inflammation in the days after treatment.

The increased blood flow stimulates the growth of new collagen and elastin fibres, reducing sensitivity and pain. This can last for 5 days, after which the increase in blood flow slows down.

When used for plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, shockwave therapy can improve the condition in as little as 3 or 4 sessions. It is also an excellent long-term solution and many patients are able to maintain their results for up to 6 or even more treatments!

It’s also used to treat a range of other conditions, from cardiac issues to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have discovered that it has beneficial effects on heart muscle and has been a successful treatment for chronic refractory angina.

A study of 115 patients with coronary artery disease found that patients treated with 2000-impulse high-energy shockwaves experienced significant pain relief and improved their quality of life. Another study showed that patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent shockwave therapy experienced a reduction in pain and an increase in mobility.

In addition to musculoskeletal issues, it has been shown to be effective in treating conditions like cardiac ischemia and is now being developed to treat other types of pain. It is an inexpensive and non-invasive alternative to surgery and injection therapy.