Shockwave Therapy
What is Shockwave Therapy?
It’s a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the body’s natural healing process. Also, it can relieve pain and promote healing of injured tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues. It accomplishes this by releasing growth factors in the injured tissue.
Experiencing any of these issues?
- Shoulder Pain
- Back Pain
- Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
- Overuse injuries
- Shin Splints
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Heel Spurs
- Plantar Faciitis
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy
- Accelerates the healing process
- Stimulates metabolism
- Enhances blood circulation
- Enables damaged tissue to regenerate and eventually heal
- Relieves pain
- Breaks down calcium deposits
- May be able to avoid surgery and anaesthesia
How does shockwave therapy work?
Once the physiotherapist has determine where the complaint originates, and that it is the correct treatment method to be used, some gel is applied to the painful area. Then the Shockwave device is used. Also, the handpiece contains a fast-moving projectile controlled by a compressor. This projectile transmits energy to the applicator to create the radial shockwaves, which then spread through and are absorb by the body. Obviously, the frequency and pressure of the waves adjust.
Which complaints is the therapy applied for?
It is good technique for a range of complaints. We divide the complaints into five categories:
- Tendons
- The most common tendon complaints that treat are painful Achilles tendons, patellar tendons, supraspinatus and lateral (tennis) elbow.
- Bones
- The most common bone pathologies are medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints) and greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
- Neurological disorders
- It is accepted that radial shockwave therapy is successful for muscle treatment of spasticity, both in adults with hemiplegia and children with cerebral palsy.
- Muscles
- Treatment of trigger points, muscle pain and muscle hypertonia.
- Connective tissue
- Known applications for shockwave therapy are plantar fasciopathy, trigger finger and scar tissue.