Shockwave Therapy is used for injured tendons. The technology works on the cells in a tendon. It stops the naturally occurring pain-generating chemicals flooding the tendon. It replaces these chemicals with naturally occurring chemicals which reduce pain and promote healing.
The latest evidence for treating injured tendons in the lower limb is overwhelming that the tendon must be strengthened with specific rehabilitation exercises. When the tendon is too painful for strengthening, shockwave becomes extremely valuable to the patient and therapist as it reduces pain in the tendon to make the exercises possible.
Is shockwave therapy painful?
When receiving shockwave therapy you will feel a repetitive and fast hammer feeling on your tendon but it is either non or minimally painful. The hammer action of the applicator creates a soundwave which travels through the tendon. It’s the soundwave that is treating the tendon not the hammer so there is minimal pain, just a strange sensation.
How much does it cost for shockwave therapy?
Shockwave Therapy does not cost any extra when you are treated at Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions. It is within the charge of the normal cost of a consultation when your physiotherapist deems it appropriate.
How does shock therapy work?
Shockwave therapy causes high energy stimulations to be applied. During a session 2000 – 3000 pulses are delivered to the affected area. Treatment may take 5 -10 minutes but at Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions it is used as part of a holistic treatment plan. The soundwaves stimulate the reduction of naturally occurring chemicals which are causing pain and inflammation, while at the same time increasing naturally occurring chemicals which promote healing.
Does Shockwave therapy have side effects?
As it works on changing the interaction of naturally occurring chemicals there are no expected side effects with Shockwave Therapy, making it an excellent adjunct to tendon rehabilitation.
What can I expect in a Shock Wave treatment session?
Ultrasound gel is applied to the skin overlaying the injured tendon. The settings are entered into the machine. The practitioner then uses a foot pedal to start the hammering device within the handset they hold. It is then brought into contact with the skin and moved around in small circles for 3-5 minutes.
How many treatments do I need to improve my condition?
Shockwave may be used between 1 and 6 times approximately, depending on the amount of degeneration and pain in the tendon. The treatment is complemented with an appropriate strengthening exercise plan for lower limb injuries.
In the upper limb, the evidence for injured tendon treatment is not as clear. These tendons may not respond to strengthening as well as in the lower limb, but can benefit from the pain-reducing properties of Shockwave. Therefore Shockwave treatments can be used more often, even up to 10 times in the upper limb.
What is shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction?
There is recent positive scientific evidence that shockwave therapy can reverse the underlying tissue problems of the penis responsible for erectile dysfunction. The suggestion is that it could be a cure for erectile dysfunction.
This is particularly different from the current treatments on offer, which can reverse the symptoms of erectile dysfunction for a short period of time only.
However, the clinical trials which investigate possible adverse effects and the correct dosages have only just started.
Shockwave Therapy is potentially promising for erectile dysfunction patients, but more time is needed for the science to be tested before it is available to the public.
Does Shockwave therapy really work?
There is robust evidence behind the effectiveness of reducing pain in tendons using large studies. It is recommended within the public health system of the United Kingdom and is used widely in Australia and America.
Additional info – Shock Wave Treatment For Tendon Injuries
A tendon joins a muscle to a bone. When it is strained for more than about 4 weeks changes start to happen within the tendon that makes it less likely it will heal. If there is a few months of the tendon being strained it is most likely it will not heal to its pre-injury capabilities without treatment.
To understand how this happens, think of a tendon as a matrix of connective tissue which is built and maintained by tendon cells (tenocytes). After a few weeks of a strain, the tendon cells start to release a chemical which unfortunately degrades the matrix of the tendon. Also at this time, there are fewer tendon cells produced. This leaves the tendon under attack from the cells which are supposed to build and maintain it.
Using Shock Wave Therapy on a tendon stops the tendon cells releasing chemicals which degrade the tendon, and increases the production of tendon cells. This allows for repair and maintenance of the matrix.
Research has asserted that the use of Shock Wave Therapy increases the likelihood of complete repair or much-improved repair of an achilles tendon from 56% to 82% when comparing treatment consisting of physiotherapy alone to physiotherapy and shock wave therapy. *
Shock Wave Therapy is widely used at our clinics and we are finding that it is a necessary adjunct to conventional physiotherapy as the research suggests.
Some conditions it is useful for include plantar fasciitis and tendon strains of the elbow (tennis elbow), patella (knee), achilles (heel), shoulder and hip (trochanteric bursitis).
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For more information contact Sydney Physio Solutions