Shockwave Therapy

What is Extracorporeal Focused Shock Wave Therapy?

In the body, these high energy acoustic waves stimulate the cells and the body’s intrinsic healing mechanism. In Extracorporeal Focused Shock Wave Therapy, the wave is focused through a lens and transmitted into the body, up to a depth of about 4.7”. You may have heard of high energy Focused Shock Wave (F-SW) devices that can destroy tissues like kidney stones. The F-SW used in physical therapy offer low and medium energy F-SW that are not capable of destroying any tissue but are helpful in pain therapy treatments.

Physiological Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Waves

The acoustic wave positively influences the body’s cell functions and intrinsic healing capabilities. The physiological effects of shock waves on the tissue include enhanced neovascularity, accelerated growth factor release, inhibition of molecules that have a role in inflammation, and stimulation of cellular processes that contribute to tissue healing and regeneration.

 
 
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Benefits of Extracorporeal Focused Shock Wave Therapy

  • Short treatment time (minutes)
  • Temporarily increase blood flow
  • Relieve pain from trigger points (hard knots in a muscle)
  • Decrease pain
  • Deep tissues can be reached
  • Non-invasive and no known significant adverse effects
  • Precise & targeted application
  • Results in a few treatments
  • Alternative to medication

The number of treatments depends on two factors

  • The indication and how the tissue responds. Typically, 3-6 treatments are necessary with resolution of some symptoms being achieved by the third treatment.
  • An improvement in function and pain relief is expected after the first treatment. Bear in mind that the treatment can have an analgesic effect for several hours after treatment.

Additional Informational Readings