Shock Wave Therapy Explained

No surgery therefore no risk
No medication therefore no side effects
No painful injections
No hospital admission therefore no complications

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) produces high energy shock waves and delivers them to the tissue via the surface of the skin. This avoids the need for needles or surgery. Read Testimonials

The technology was first developed to break up kidney stones without the need for surgery. This required pulses of high energy that could be delivered safely in a focused fashion. When applied to areas of inflamed tissue the high energy pulses kick start the body’s natural healing processes by stimulating the formation of new blood vessels. This results in improved metabolism which in turn activates cell generation and helps dissolve calcium deposits.

Pain relief is often immediate with permanent healing occurring within 4-6 weeks of the last session. Three sessions are recommended for most pathologies, each lasting 15-20 minutes.

Treating a shoulder

shoulder-treatment

Some Science

The energy from the device is transmitted via a gel causing a direct mechanical effect as well as a secondary bubble cavitation in the tissues (further reading -Seil R et al Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for tendinopathies. Expert Rev Med Dev 2006;3:463-470)

Shock wave therapy has been shown to alter nerve activity in the skin in animal experiments by diminishing the number of pain carrying nerve fibres. Ohtori et al, Neurosci Lett 2001 ;315;57-60

Decrease in substance P (a chemical released by nerves that convey pain and inflammation) was also seen 6 weeks after treatment in animals. (Maier et al CORR 2003 406; 237-245)

Shock wave therapy also causes growth factor proliferation in animal tendons which is important for healing. (Chen et al, J Orthop Res 2004;22:854-861)

It also causes new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in animals at the tendon bone junction where most of these painful conditions develop. (Wang et al, J Orthop Res 2003;21:984-989)

Read Evidence for extracorporeal shockwave therapy