Physiotherapy
Shockwave Therapy
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave is a form of treatment that utilizes strong pressure waves or pulses applied over the area of injury to trigger a healing response in areas of chronic pain and inflammation. The body responds by increasing metabolic activity around the site of pain. This stimulates and accelerates the healing process. The majority of treatment programs are around tendon insertions, muscle trigger points, and calcifications. Shockwave therapy has been utilized medically for treatment of kidney stones (high energy shockwave lithotripsy), and it is a lower energy version that is utilized in Physiotherapy Rehabilitation.
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What conditions may benefit from Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave is an excellent, non-invasive treatment option for hard to treat or chronic:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Heel spurs
- Patellar tendonitis
- Jumper’s knee
- Tennis or golfer’s elbow
- Rotator cuff tendonitis
- Frozen shoulder
- Shoulder calcifications
- Trochanteric bursitis
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Physical effects of Shockwave Therapy:
- Pain reduction: The patient experiences a reduction of pain, explained by the Gate Control Theory. Intensive pulses from the transmitter into the tissues create a strong nociceptor activation of the A-β fibers, which affect interneurons that inhibit the transmission of the pain signals.
- Increased metabolism: Shockwaves influence the tissues on a cellular level. The chemical environment of the cells is affected by free radicals promoting the release of pain and inflammatory inhibiting substances.
- Revascularization: Repeated shockwaves to the affected area create a revascularization effect, with the new blood flow in the area promoting tissue healing and regeneration.
- Reduced muscle tone: The “vicious cycle”, as well as the strong pathological association between pain and muscle tone, will be broken and lead to restoring a normalized muscular tone.
How many treatments will I need?
Research has shown that clients benefit from 3-5 sessions at weekly intervals.
Side effects usually come and go within 3-5 days. Mild side effects may include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Pain
- Hematoma
- Red spots