What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave Therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment for the quick and effective treatment of tendinopathy by using sound waves to deliver a mechanical stimulus to the tendon to stimulate healing. It can be highly effective in treating plantar fasciitis/heel spurs, Achilles, patella, hamstring and gluteal tendinopathy, tennis and golfers elbow, and rotator cuff injuries in the shoulder. It is also used for managing neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Benefits of shockwave therapy
Shockwave Therapy is successful in treating up to 90% of tendinopathy cases by stimulating the body’s normal healing processes when combined with some stretching and strengthening treatment in the clinic or at home. It is non-invasive (non-surgical) and is used to speed recovery and cure acute or chronic pain in muscle or myofascia and tendons which haven’t responded to other forms of therapy. SWT is often recommended before you would consider cortisone therapy or surgical intervention.
How does it work?
Compressed air inside the SWT machine fires a projectile inside the applicator, which is transferred to the transmitter at the end of the applicator. From there, it travels via an acoustic wave carrying high energy into the injured musculoskeletal tissue. The energy then promotes regeneration and repair processes in the bone, tendons and other soft tissues.
Medical Effects: Chronic inflammation (in damaged tissue) neutralises healthy tissue rebuild and can cause chronic pain. SWT has high energy which interacts on a cellular level and activates mast cells. These mast cells produce chemokines and cytokines, which enhance the normal inflammatory process. This process results in more cell growth, tissue repair, healing and regeneration. There is also evidence of analgesia and restored mobility in the affected tissue.
Shockwave Therapy’s primary benefit is in fast pain relief and the ability to restore mobility.
Shockwave Therapy is particularly effective in managing plantar fasciitis, calcific lesions of the rotator cuff of the shoulder (at the insertional area of supraspinatus tendon), Achilles tendinosis and many other of the common tendon and soft-tissue injuries we suffer from.
What to Expect
We recommend 4-6 treatments of Shockwave Therapy, 7-10 days apart. There will be a a review of your current symptoms and exercises in addition to the shockwave therapy. Each treatment usually takes 20 minutes. The treatment is relatively pain-free, with no downtime after treatment.
Private health fund rebates
We are a recognised provider for private health insurers. You may be entitled to a private health rebate, depending on your level of cover. Please contact the clinic for more information.
Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT): Excerpt from Podiatry Today article
ESWT For Plantar Fasciitis: What Do The Long-Term Results Reveal? :
In an attempt to quantify the long-term success of ESWT, we recently performed a study looking at the patients who underwent ESWT at the Weil Foot and Ankle Institute from 2000 to 2002.5.
We presented our results at the 2010 International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment Annual Congress and at the 2010 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress.
My colleagues and I have also submitted the study results for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
The study included 75 patients and 87.5 percent of the patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with their ESWT experience at an average of nine years after treatment with a mean pain score of 1.2 on the VAS scale of 0 to 10. Twenty-four percent of patients were able to discontinue all aspects of maintenance treatment including orthotics, medications, supportive devices or shoes and physical therapy type activities.
In addition, 24 percent of patients maintained 95.8 percent improvement with a pain rating of 0.67. The remaining 76 percent of patients continued their heel pain maintenance treatment(s)and had a 79.9 percent improvement with an average pain score of 2.07.
http://www.podiatrytoday.com/eswt-plantar-fasciitis-what-do-long-term-results-reveal