We are really excited to have added extracorporeal shockwave therapy to our range of treatments offered at Wisbey Osteopathy from February 2023! Not sure what it is? Read on!
What Does Shockwave Do?
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) also known as shockwave therapy is a non-surgical treatment option that uses a machine to deliver focused sound waves (not an electric shock!) to stimulate the healing process. Extracorporeal means outside of the body – so the treatment is applied to the surface of the skin to affect the targeted area underneath.
- Pain relief
- Inflammation reduction
- Promotion of tissue regeneration
- Function restoration
What Can Shockwave Help Treat?
Shockwave therapy has been shown to be an effective, evidence-based treatment for tendon pain often called tendonitis/tendonopathy, as well as improving other conditions throughout the body.
Examples of what shockwave therapy can help treat:
- Plantar fasciitis (pain on the sole of the foot)
- Achilles tendinopathy (pain in the back of the ankle and calf)
- Tennis/golfers elbow
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy (often responsible for shoulder pain)
- Trochanteric bursitis (hip pain)
- Hamstring tendinopathy
- Patella tendinopathy (pain below the kneecap)
- Bone injuires – such as shin plints, non-union fractures and stress fractures
It is also an excellent tool to use when trying to reduce muscular tension which makes it perfect when combined with either osteopathy or massage therapy.
What Are The Benefits of Using Shockwave Therapy Vs Other Treatments?
The main benefit is that it is a great option for people with stubborn conditions that haven’t improved enough to feel healed using manual therapy but where there is an understandable reluctance to jump straight to steroid injections or even surgery.
Other benefits include:
- Fast recovery
- Fewer potential complications
- No anesthesia
- Non-invasive
- No medication
- Fast treatment: 20 minutes per session
- Significant clinical improvement: often seen 6 to 8 weeks after treatment
What Happens During A Shockwave Therapy Appointment?
Once we have identified the target areas associated with your pain we will apply a gel-like substance to the skin to help the sound waves penetrate through the tissues – similar to having an ultrasound.
A handheld wand is pressed on to the affected area to deliver the ‘shockwaves’. The impulses spread through the injured tissue which initiates an inflammation-like response and encourages the body to respond naturally by increasing blood circulation, the number of blood vessels and therefore metabolism in the injured tissue – also known as the healing process.
The shockwaves are felt as pulses similar to a massage gun but much faster; they are a little uncomfortable but not painful. Your first treatment will start with a lower level of impulse intensity and which can be increased to a point where you feel comfortable.
Shockwave therapy treatments are usually performed at weekly intervals for the best results. An initial appointment must be attended to ensure the treatment is suitable for you before proceeding. This lasts up to 45 minutes and includes a consultation at treatment. Each subsequent treatment session takes about 30 minutes from arrival to departure; 15-20 minutes of which is used to apply the shockwave portion of the appointment. You will need a minimum of 3 treatment sessions, with most patients responding very well to between 3 and 6 sessions. Top up appointments will be available to book individually for patients with particularly resistant conditions who have recently completed a course of 6.
Wisbey Osteopathy 