Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is used for a wide variety of conditions including, but not restricted to, musculoskeletal conditions. The procedure uses shockwaves generated by an underwater electrical explosion and applies it to the skin for faster muscle repair. The treatment offers potential for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions including:
- Overuse Tendonitis
- Bone disunions
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bursitis
- Calcified Tendonitis
This isn’t the entire range of conditions treated with ESWT and you should speak with your doctor if the method can be useful for your condition.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?
In general, shockwave therapy has the following effects:
- It increases blood circulation between cells to improve healing rates.
- Generates extra force to break down calcified deposits and resolves calcified tendons, bursitis and similar conditions.
- Stimulates osteoblasts—cells that are responsible for healing bones and promote bone production.
- Stimulates fibroblasts—cells that are responsible for the creation of new connective tissue.
- Reduces pain through two different mechanisms:
- By stimulating nerve endings so much that they stop functioning for short periods.
- Manipulating the transfer of pain stimuli in nerve endings to induce long-term pain relief.
Conditions Treated Using Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is used to treat a wide variety of conditions, but the procedure is more effective for some conditions than others. These conditions include:
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a common musculoskeletal condition characterized by inflammation of the tendons in the arch of your foot. When used to treat Plantar Fasciitis, shockwave therapy has a success rate of up to 88%, with no repeated instances of discomfort from the condition.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a common overuse condition in athletes where the tendons in the elbow become inflamed due to poor technique. Research indicates that pain reduces by about 60% after going into treatment. It was observed that people who choose ESWT for tennis elbow return to daily activity much more quickly than those who don’t.
Calcified Tendonitis
Calcified tendonitis is a painful condition where movement causes pain because on calcium deposits on the tendons. Shockwave therapy can effectively break down and resolve the calcium deposits to restore full mobility to your limbs and reduce the pain from the calcium deposits. Research indicates that people who go through longer periods of ESWT report lower feelings of pain and greater mobility than people who don’t use the treatment for long periods.
SEMI is a state of the art sports medicine clinic in Toronto. We offer pelvic floor physiotherapy, massage therapy, PRP treatments, acupuncture therapy, shockwave therapy and much more at our clinics in Sheppard, St. Claire and Thornhill. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services or for an appointment with our doctors.
