What is Shockwave Therapy ESWT?

Shockwave therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), is a treatment which uses machines that pass short, intense energy sound waves, travelling faster than the speed of sound, into affected tissues. This causes microtrauma, increases blood flow and stimulates an acute inflammatory response which aids the healing process.

There are two forms of shockwave therapy, Focused and Radial. Of the two Radial is more widely known and generally more available. Radial is useful for more superficial tendon problems, the pressure wave is more widely distributed and less concentrated.

Focused Shockwaves (FSW) however can penetrate deeper into tissues and is more concentrated in its energy delivery. This results in a more comfortable treatment. Focused Shockwaves are particularly good for Osteoarthritic joint pain, there is a growing body of evidence that focused shockwave therapy may help with cartilage regeneration.

 The KEY BENEFIT of Focused shockwave is that the treatment is more comfortable and as such more energy can be applied with greater healing outcome potential for the patient resulting in less treatments needed.

Which conditions can Shockwave help with? 

• Achilles Tendinopathy
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Osteoarthritic joint pain (particularly osteoarthritic knee pain)
• Patellar tendinopathy (sport related knee pain)
• Bone healing (post fracture of the bone is slow to heal)
• Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
• Tennis/golfers elbow
• Calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy (shoulder pain)

Before you consider steroid injections or surgery, contact me about your suitability for Shockwave Therapy.