Physical therapists and athletic trainers across the country are always looking for new technology to help heal injuries and chronic conditions more quickly and more effectively. One of the recent innovations is extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), which has been thoroughly researched across a range of conditions, even being FDA approved for the treatment of plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and golfer’s elbow.
In the decades since ESWT was first developed, different types and techniques have emerged as therapies to help reduce pain and promote throughout the body.
Types of extracorporeal shockwave therapy
There are two types of shockwave therapy: focused and radial ESWT. Focused shockwave therapy transmits the acoustic energy in a narrow, focused pattern, allowing the energy to penetrate deeply, which has been proven to be helpful in the therapy’s use to break up kidney stones deep within the body.
Radial shockwave therapy, on the other hand, spreads the energy across a larger treatment area, preventing the energy from being too focused or moving too deeply through body tissues. With this degree of control, the therapeutic benefits of radial shockwave therapy can be targeted to different soft tissues below the skin, including tendons, myofascial tissue, ligaments.
How does radial shockwave therapy work?
Shockwave therapy devices like the one we use at Back in Motion create high-pressure sound waves that travel into the body. These waves generate mechanical forces on tissue, which lead to therapeutic benefits, including:
- Increased blood flow
- Increased healing response
- Collagen synthesis
- Protein synthesis
Key benefits of ESWT shockwave therapy
- Non-invasive alternative to injections and surgery
- Fast treatment times (5-10 minutes per session)
- Clinically proven to accelerate healing
- Reduces pain and inflammation without medication
- Enhances blood circulation to damaged tissue
Conditions that shockwave therapy can treat
At Back in Motion, we utilize the Portland Health Supply Radial Shockwave device for treating a variety of conditions and injuries. Our patients have had particular success with ESWT therapy for elbow injuries such as golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow.
Shockwave therapy for musculoskeletal system/soft tissue
The primary benefits of ESWT at Back in Motion can be seen in treating musculoskeletal injuries, inflammation, and joint wear and tear. These are also the types of conditions that our physical therapists have great success with treating without shockwave therapy, so when combined with traditional physical therapy, patients see even better results.
For example, we’re proud that over 85% of patients experience complete resolution for tendonitis when using shockwave therapy alongside traditional PT. Other examples of conditions that ESWT can help treat include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Medial epicondylitis (Golfer’s elbow)
- Lateral epicondylitis (Tennis elbow)
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy
- Hip bursitis
- Shin splints
Shockwave for chronic pain
For those suffering with pain that is getting worse without targeted treatment, or even for those who have tried PT previously without complete success, ESWT therapy can be a new approach that produces results at an even higher success rate than physical therapy alone.
Conditions of chronic pain we may be able to treat with radial ESWT include:
- Shoulder and rotator cuff calcific tendinitis
- Chronic neck and back pain
- Scar tissue
- Post-surgical recovery
Shockwave therapy for bone and joint disorders
In some cases, the acoustic energy of our ESWT device can be tuned to promote the healing of bone tissue and reduce inflammation, which can be game-changing for folks experiencing osteoarthritis pain.
ESWT may be an option for people who need help with:
- Osteoarthritis pain management
- Avascular necrosis
- Delayed healing of fractures
If you’re interested in finding an ESWT shockwave therapy provider for your condition or concern, but don’t see it listed here, we may still be able to help. Our Maine radial shockwave therapy specialist is highly trained to address a growing list of conditions that may not be mentioned here specifically.
ESWT shockwave therapy at Back in Motion
We’re confident this new treatment option can reliably and effectively enhance the lives of people throughout Maine and we’re already seeing great success in our clinics with the use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy. To learn more about how we provide ESWT and whether it may help you get the resolution to your symptoms that you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to call a clinic near you or request an appointment online today.
