Shockwave Therapy for Musculoskeletal Conditions
Shockwave therapy (or extracorporeal shockwave therapy) is a relatively new treatment modality used in the management of upper and lower extremity tendinopathies, fasciopathies and other chronic soft tissue conditions. Shockwave therapy was first used in the 1980’s to manage urologic conditions, but the benefits for use in orthopaedic conditions was soon discovered.
How does it work?
Shockwave therapy produces an acoustic wave characterised by a single pulse, a wide frequency range and a high pressure amplitude. This produces a positive phase, producing direct mechanical forces, and a negative phase, during which cavitation is generated that subsequently implode at high speeds.
These high energy peak waves interact with the tissue to produce the following effects:
New blood vessel formation
Reversal of chronic inflammation
Stimulation of collagen production
Breaking up calcifications
Release of pain mediator “Substance P”
Trigger point release
The effects of shockwave therapy are particularly useful in treating chronic musculoskeletal injuries as it target the pathological changes that occur these conditions to re-initiate the healing process. Certain tissues in the body, such as tendons, are very slow to heal and there are physical changes to the tissue with longstanding pain and injury. These changes need to be addressed with a rehabilitation program of gradual loading to stimulate healing. Shockwave therapy is a great adjunct to use in these rehab programs as it contributes to speeding up the healing process and reduces pain which allows for a quicker progression in rehab.
Conditions that do well with a combination of shockwave therapy and rehabilitation include, but is not limited to, the following:
Plantar fasciitis (plantar heel pain)
Achilles tendinopathy
Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
Hamstring tendinopathy
Gluteal pain syndrome
Tennis/golfer’s elbow
Frozen shoulder
Trigger points
Rotator cuff tendinopathies
Shockwave therapy is a safe and non-invasive treatment that is worth considering before having surgery for relevant conditions. If you think you may benefit from shockwave therapy, contact a physiotherapist who use shockwave therapy to discuss whether this would be an option for you.
