ESWT Shockwave Therapy

What is shockwave therapy?

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or known more simply as shockwave therapy, is a non-invasive, non-surgical use of ultrasound waves. The waves reach potentially damaged muscles, tendons and joints, and promote natural recovery.

If you’re seeking treatment with Doctors of Osteo, your osteopath may provide a treatment plan that includes shockwave therapy. But whatever your practitioner recommends, their objective is the same – to get you back to the active lifestyle you know and love.

Does shockwave therapy really work?

Without going too far down the scientific rabbit hole, there are four key ways that shockwave therapy can aid your recovery:

Neurovascularisation ingrowth – This basically means that your local blood vessels have been dilated, allowing for increased blood flow. This helps deliver nutrient-rich blood to the wounded area, which may help speed up your recovery. Stimulation of collagen and tissue regeneration – The stress caused by shockwave treatment stimulates your body to create more collagen in the area, which increases tendon and ligament regeneration and repair. Pain reduction – The resonance of the shockwaves help your body reduce substance P and histamines (that cause the nerves to be aggravated). This can lead to a direct (and immediate) pain reduction. Dissolution of calcium build-up – When your tendons are put under trauma (or slightly torn), calcium can easily build up, causing unnecessary pain and stiffness. Shockwave therapy can safely break down those build-ups, and help restore your full range of movement.

What is shockwave therapy used for?

This unique type of treatment is most commonly used for chronic conditions, including:

• Plantar fasciitis (1)
• Achilles tendonitis (2)
• Tennis (and golfer’s) elbow (3)
• Rotator cuff tears (4)
• Patella pain (5)
• Hamstring tendinopathy and tears (6)

These (and plenty more chronic issues) have been clinically proven to have been resolved by ESWT shockwave therapy (you can find the evidence at the bottom of this page). And if your osteopath feels it will positively influence your recovery, it’s likely to be recommended as a course of treatment for you.

What is the difference between shockwave therapy and ultrasound therapy?

Shockwave therapy uses high energy soundwaves called “shockwaves” that travel faster than the speed of sound to help treat painful areas aimed at promoting regeneration and repair of the bones, tendons and other soft tissues. These shockwaves may be beneficial for promoting healing to tendinopathies, calcific tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. In contrast, ultrasound therapy applies a mild alternating high frequency wave to the tissue, which causes a light heating sensation that may help increase blood flow and reduce swelling.

Is shockwave therapy safe?

The side effects of this treatment are minimal, but some patients might experience local bruising or discomfort post-treatment.

It’s also worth discussing with your GP or osteopath whether shockwave therapy is right for you. Some situations and circumstances can alter the procedure’s safety and effectiveness, including:

• Pregnancy
• Prostheses and implants
• Diabetes
• Tumours
• Skin wounds

But you can rest assured that at Doctors of Osteo, we’ll discuss everything we need to with you before proceeding with any treatment. Your recovery is our top priority, so we’ll always find a treatment plan suited to your specific circumstances.

Is shockwave therapy painful?

You may feel some discomfort during the treatment, depending on the level of pain you’re already experiencing in the area. However, treatment usually only last for a few minutes and most patients are able to tolerate this discomfort.

Is there any research on shockwave therapy I can read?

All evidence listed for our Shockwave therapy is taken from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), the gold standard database for randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines in physical therapy. PEDro is overseen by the Centre for Evidence-Based Physiotherapy at the George Institute for Global Health, and affiliated with the University of Sydney, Australia.

Plantarfasciitis (1) The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2008;36(11):2100-2109. Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy is Safe and Effective in the Treatment of Chronic Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciitis. Gerdesmeyer L, Frey C, Vester J, Maier M, Lowell W, Weil L et al.

Achilles Tendonitis (2) The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery-American Volume. 2008;90(1):52-61. Eccentric Loading Compared with Shock Wave Treatment for Chronic Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy. Rompe J, Furia J, Maffulli N.

Tennis Elbow (3) Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2012;36(5):681. Effectiveness of Initial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on the Newly Diagnosed Lateral or Medial Epicondylitis. Lee S, Kang S, Park N, Lee C, Song H, Sohn M et al.

Rotator Cuff Tears (4) The Bone & Joint Journal. 2013;95-B(11):1521-1526. Radial Extracorporeal Shock-wave Therapy in Patients with Chronic Rotator Cuff Tendinitis: A Prospective Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Multicentre Trial. Kolk A, Auw Yang K, Tamminga R, van der Hoeven H.

Patella Tendinopathy (5) The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2007;35(6):972-978. Extracorporeal Shockwave for Chronic Patellar Tendinopathy. Wang C, Ko J, Chan Y, Weng L, Hsu S.

Hamstring Tendinitis (6) The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2010;39(1):146-153. Shockwave Therapy for the Treatment of Chronic Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy in Professional Athletes. Cacchio A, Rompe J, Furia J, Susi P, Santilli V, De Paulis F.