Our physical therapists offer more than the basic principles of physical therapy to help our patients heal quickly and with the greatest degree of success. One of the latest innovations to expand our treatment options is shockwave therapy, also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT).
What is shockwave therapy?
Although the treatment was developed decades ago, ESWT has been fine-tuned to be used alongside traditional physical therapy treatments to aid in healing damaged tissues throughout the body.
There are two types of shockwave therapy: focused and radial. Focused shockwave therapy transmits the acoustic energy in a narrow, focused pattern, allowing the energy to penetrate more deeply, which has been proven to be helpful in the therapy’s use to break up kidney stones deep within the body. This was the technology’s first medical use, which is not utilized in our clinics. Instead, our team uses radial shockwave therapy.
Radial shockwave therapy spreads the energy across a larger treatment area, preventing the energy from being too focused or moving too deeply through body tissues. With this degree of control, the therapeutic benefits of radial shockwave therapy can be targeted to different soft tissues just below the skin, including tendons, myofascial tissue, ligaments.
Shockwave therapy has been thoroughly researched across a range of conditions, even being FDA approved for the treatment of plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and golfer’s elbow.
Conditions ESWT can help treat
Shockwave therapy is effective when used in addition to traditional physical therapy techniques for certain conditions and injuries. Our teams have found it to be particularly successful for elbow injuries such as golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow.
The primary benefits of ESWT can be seen in treating musculoskeletal injuries, inflammation, and soft tissue wear and tear. These conditions can also be treated effectively without shockwave therapy, but when combined with traditional physical therapy, patients see even better results.
Examples of conditions that ESWT can help treat include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Medial epicondylitis (Golfer’s elbow)
- Lateral epicondylitis (Tennis elbow)
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy
- Hip bursitis
- Shin splints
Shockwave therapy for chronic pain
For those suffering with chronic pain, or even for those who have tried PT previously without complete success, ESWT therapy can be a new approach that produces results at an even higher success rate than physical therapy alone.
Conditions of chronic pain that may be treated with radial ESWT include:
- Shoulder and rotator cuff calcific tendinitis
- Chronic neck and back pain
- Scar tissue
- Post-surgical recovery
ESWT for bone and joint disorders
In some cases, the acoustic energy of ESWT can be tuned to promote the healing of bone tissue and reduce inflammation, which can be game-changing for folks experiencing osteoarthritis pain. ESWT may be an option for people who need help with:
- Osteoarthritis pain management
- Avascular necrosis
- Delayed healing of fractures
What to expect from a shockwave therapy appointment
During a treatment with shockwave therapy, high-pressure sound waves are generated by the device that travel into the body. These waves generate mechanical forces on tissue, leading to therapeutic benefits such as increased blood flow, increased healing response, collagen synthesis, and protein synthesis.
Key benefits of ESWT shockwave therapy include:
- It is a non-invasive alternative to injections and surgery
- Fast treatment times, typically 5-10 minutes per session
- Clinically proven to accelerate healing
- Reduces pain and inflammation without medication
- Enhances blood circulation to damaged tissue
Supportive therapies for successful recovery
Whether you’re actively seeking an ESWT provider or simply want the most effective treatment for your ache or pain, you want an experienced hand administering your care. Our shockwave therapy specialists have the clinical experience and advanced training necessary to administer these treatments safely and effectively.
Learn more about how we may be able to help you heal faster and more effectively with shockwave therapy by calling a nearby clinic or requesting an appointment online today!
