Shockwave Therapy

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive alternative to surgery and steroid injections. An applicator is freely moved over the area of pain, emitting radial shockwaves (radial pressure waves) into the tissues.

shockwave
Shockwave for elbow pain

20 years ago, Shockwave therapy was used by the medical profession for the treatment of kidney stones. Many studies since have found it to be effective in other conditions where conventional treatment has been found unsuccessful.

Will Shockwave Therapy Help My Condition?

  • Plantar fasciitis and Heel Pain
  • Jumpers / Runners Knee
  • Achilles Tendon Problems
  • Patella Tendinopathy
  • Tennis and Golfers Elbow
  • Bicep Tendinopathy
  • Supraspinatus Tendinopathy 
  • Shoulder Chronic Pain and Calcifications
  • Trochanteric Bursitis
  • De Quervains Syndrome
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Muscle spasms
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Shin Splints
  • Retro Patella Pain Syndrome (pain in the front, behind, and around the kneecap)
Shockwave therapy on foot plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis

I was treated with Shockwave on my right shoulder as the pain really disturbed when I lifted some weights or even just shopping bags. I had 4 treatments in total and the pain started to disappear from 2nd treatment and my discomfort pain was gone now.

Shockwave treatment made me nervous by name however after the practitioner explained how the machine works with different levels and how effective to ensure that you will be comfortable with and that made me feel like to try.

I definitely recommend Shockwave treatment to friends and family who are looking for a better and more effective treatment as well as saving time to recover from the pain they are carrying.

N. Akehurst

Where It Can’t Be Used? 

  • Over Lung Tissue
  • During Pregnancy
  • Active Adolescent Growth Plates
  • Haemophiliac Patients or Those on Anticoagulants
  • Acute Inflammation
  • Malignancy
  • Implanted Cardiac Stents and Valves
  • Infections
  • Joint Replacements

How Does It Work?

The association between pain, muscle tone and vascular tone is broken, allowing natural movement patterns to be remembered and returned.

It has been shown to take chronic pain/conditions back to acute and provides a trigger to repair the tissue (Watson 2012). This is done by:

  • Mechanical stimulation
  • Increasing local blood flow
  • Increasing in-cellular activity 
  • Transient analgesic effect
  • Breaking down of calcific deposits

Side Effects

After treatment, you may experience some side effects, but they should disappear after 5-10 days. These can include:

  • Reddening
  • Swelling
  • Pain
  • Bruising
  • Petchia (red spots)

I had knee muscle injury last year and was suffering over a month, decided to get treatment from Avenue health as they’re my regular osteopath.

When I went Michael asked if I want to try shockwave treatment and he explained how it worked on sports injuries. I agreed to have 3 appointments. After having 2 treatments my pain disappeared. I saved my 3rd appointment for future pain.

After few months, I developed a pain on my right hand, when I went to Michael, he diagnosed that as I was lifting more weights than my muscles can take. Gave me one shock treatment and up to this day that pain hasn’t returned.

Now I am training for marathon charity walk and slight pain started on the same knee, after one more shock treatment fully better. Though that treatment is painful when having it, but takes only few minutes but relief after is immense.

Sue D

Shockwave Therapy on Shoulder pain
Shoulder

We use the Swiss DolorClast® Method machine and the Chattanooga® machine at each of our three practices.

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