Shockwave Therapy
Struggling with persistent, or chronic pain in your tendon’s or joints? Then you’ve come to the right-place!
The impact of pain
Living with persistent musculoskeletal pain can be debilitating. It affects your quality of life and ability to 'live life'.
While traditional treatment methods like medication, physical therapy, or surgery may provide relief to some extent, they may not always offer long-lasting results.
This is where shockwave therapy comes in!
Shockwave therapy is a non-surgical treatment option that is an effective solution for your persistent or chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
I am going be describing what it actually DOES. Then we will go through and WHO and WHAT it is effective for, along with who should not use shockwave.
By the end of this, you will know if shockwave therapy is right for you.
What does shockwave therapy do?
Shockwave therapy is also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT). It utilizes high-energy sound waves to stimulate the body's natural healing process and promote tissue regeneration.
The treatment involves the precise application of acoustic 'shockwaves' to the injured area. These shockwaves penetrate deep (a few cm deep!) into the tissues initiating a cascade of biological changes.
The way it does this is by causing an acute ‘micro trauma' to the injured tissue. This stimulates the body's natural healing response. This kickstarts a cascade of biological processes that lead to healing and tissue repair.
The fascinating thing with shockwave therapy its that when it is applied to healthy tissue, it doesn’t feel like a thing!
But when its on pathological tissue…well, lets just say that you really feel it! And that is how you know you're in the right spot!
The biological changes shockwave therapy makes
Who Does Shockwave Therapy Help?
The wonderful thing about shockwave therapy’s that it can be utilized for many conditions. This is because shockwave therapy acts on the bodies biology. And biology, is biology.
Plantar Fasciitis
Shockwave therapy can be beneficial for you if you are suffering from plantar fasciitis. It is a condition characterized by inflammation and pain in the heel and arch of the foot.
The shockwaves help stimulate healing and reduce pain by promoting tissue regeneration and reducing inflammation in the plantar fascia.
Calcific Tendonitis
Calcific tendonitis occurs when calcium deposits form within a tendon, typically causing pain and restricted movement.
Shockwave therapy can effectively break down these calcifications, allowing the body to naturally reabsorb or eliminate them, relieving pain and improving function.
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis):
Frozen shoulder is characterized by pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint.
Shockwave therapy can help improve joint mobility and reduce pain by promoting tissue healing and reducing inflammation in the shoulder capsule.
Shin Splints
Shin splints are also known as medial tibial stress syndrome. It refers to pain and inflammation along the shinbone (tibia), commonly experienced by runners and athletes.
Hip Bursitis and Gluteal Tendonopathy
Shockwave therapy can be effective in treating hip bursitis, an inflammation of the bursa (a fluid-filled sac) in the hip joint, as well as gluteal tendinopathy, which involves degeneration or inflammation of the gluteal tendons.
Basically, if you have pain on the side of your hip, shockwave therapy can help!
Tendonopathies
Shockwave therapy has shown positive outcomes in the treatment of various tendinopathies, including :
- Achilles tendonopathy
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis).
- Gluteal tendonopathy (hip pain)
- Patellar tendonopathy (knee pain)
- Rotator cuff tendonopathy (shoulder pain)
- Calcific tendonopathy
- Trigger finger (can occur in any finger, even the thumb!)
These are just a few of the most common examples of the musculoskeletal conditions that can be effectively treated with shockwave therapy.
If you are dealing with one of these, or another persistent or chronic pain problem, be sure to ask if shockwave can help you!
Safety and Side Effects of Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is very safe. However, there are some situations where it is contraindicated.
- 1Pregnancy: Due to the limited research on the effects of shockwave therapy during pregnancy, we avoid shockwave therapy while pregnant. Lets be honest, pregnant women can’t have ALOT of medications or therapies, and shockwave is one of them.
- 2Blood Clotting Disorders: Individuals with blood clotting disorders or those taking blood-thinning medications may be at an increased risk of bleeding or hematoma formation at the treatment site.
- 3Presence of Metal Implants: The presence of metal implants, such as joint replacements, plates, or screws at or near the treatment area can potentially interfere with the delivery of shockwaves or cause discomfort during the procedure. So just let us know if and where you have any so we can assess the safety and appropriateness of shockwave therapy for your specific situation.
- 4Open Wounds or Infections: Shockwave therapy should not be performed on open wounds or infected areas. I think this is pretty straight forward. It is important to allow wounds to heal and infections to resolve before considering shockwave therapy.
- 5Cancerous Tumors: Shockwave therapy should not be applied directly over cancerous tumors or suspicious lesions. It is crucial to discuss any history of cancer or suspicious lesions with us to determine the appropriate course of action!
- 6Nerve Disorders: Individuals with certain nerve disorders or sensitivities may require special considerations before undergoing shockwave therapy. It is important to inform us about any nerve-related conditions. Then we may assess the safety and potential benefits of the treatment.
Is Shockwave Therapy right for you?
By now you know that shockwave therapy is a great option for treating various aches, pains and injuries throughout the body. Its safe, non-invasive and most importantly, it works!
So, as long as you aren’t currently pregnant (or have another contraindication listed above), the real question is, why not give it a try?
The good news is that typically you start to see results rather quickly. I tell patients that if you aren’t noticing a change after 2 shockwave therapy sessions, it may not be for you.
In my experience, most people who I provide shockwave therapy for feel results after their first treatment.
Couldn't do a pushup
One patient couldn’t do a pushup for 15 years due to elbow pain. After his first shockwave treatment he pumped out 10 pushups! And after the 3rd treatment, there was no pain what so ever!
Goodbye hip pain!
Another woman had constant hip pain for 10 plus years…after a few sessions her constant, debilitating hip pain had nearly completely disappeared. And now she is able to run up the stairs!
Couldn't hold onto his golf clubs!
One avid golfer couldn’t hold his clubs, but now he's golfing nearly every day!.
Avoided Surgery
One person was on the list for carpal tunnel surgery. After a couple of treatments he cancelled the surgery!
I could go on and on with examples, but I’m sure you get the point.
When it comes to treating chronic, or even sub acute musculoskeletal conditions, trying shockwave therapy is really a no-brainer.
Schedule shockwave therapy today!
You deserve to live life, free from pain! Get back to doing everything you need, and want to do - pain free!