In orthopedics, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a form of shockwave therapy designed to 91 percent of patients, and complications are minimal.
A shockwave is a pulse of energy that can pass at near-supersonic speeds through any material. For example, the tremors from an earthquake travel so fast, they can shake the earth’s crust.
The healing advantages of shockwave therapy were discovered when physicians began using them to the tissue which initiates a healing response, causing blood vessel formation, increasing blood flow, delivering nutrients, and lessening pain within the affected area.
Shockwave therapy comes in two forms, one low-energy and the other high-energy. Low-energy shockwaves, which are given as a series of three or more treatments, are at worst only mildly painful. High-energy shockwaves, however, are administered in one session and incredibly painful. Patients undergoing this procedure will need to procure either a regional block or general anesthesia.
In the last decade shockwave therapy for tendinitis and other afflictions of the heel bone (calcaneus) has been overwhelmingly successful. Achilles tendinopathy is a degenerative condition in which the body’s largest tendon becomes strained and ruptured from repetitive walking, jumping, and strenuous exercise. Tendinitis (or tendonitis) is a form of Achilles tendinopathy involving large-scale acute injuries accompanied by inflammation. It’s often confused with tendinosis, which is damage to a tendon at a cellular level because of microtears in the support structure surrounding the tendon. Achilles tendon injuries typically affect distance runners and participants in sports like soccer, basketball, and handball. Achilles tendinopathy affects 11 percent of runners, 9 percent of dancers, 9 percent of dancers, and 5 percent of gymnasts.
In uncontrolled pilot studies, shockwave therapy for Achilles tendinitis and other heel injuries has proven effective. In trials conducted using shockwave therapy on lateral epicondylitis, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinopathy, 1,500-2,000 jolts of low energy were applied to four months. These studies revealed that low-energy shockwave therapy for Achilles pain resulted in healed tendons, while high levels of energy prevented the tendons from healing.
In one study, two separate trials investigated the use of shockwave therapy on Achilles tendinopathy. Single-dose high-energy shockwave therapy was applied toms. However, the study also found that local anesthesia may limit the procedure’s effectiveness.
Shockwave therapy has also emerged as an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis, a condition causing pain under the heel bone and the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the soft tissue on the botto support the body’s weight.
Most patients with plantar fasciitis experience relief through conventional methods like orthotics (shoe inserts), ice treatment, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatouted the benefits of low-energy ESWT for patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, especially those who did not improve with more conventional methods.
Calcific tendinitis is a condition characterized by the formation of small calcium deposits within a tendon. In the majority of cases shockwave therapy for calcific tendinitis involves shockwave therapy is one of the most advanced and effective non-invasive treatments for neuromuscular disorders approved by the FDA. Because there’s no surgical incision, minimal risk is involved. As a consequence, ESWT is frequently recommended before surgery is undertaken. Our trained specialists have performed over 2,000 procedures for tendons throughout the body, and their use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy has been exceptional because they target the site of injury with diagnostic ultrasound. Moreover, we combine shockwave therapy with comprehensive rehabilitation programs such as eccentric strengthening exercises and biomechanical correction.