Shockwave Therapy (SWT)

Shockwave therapy is a treatment modality using acoustic pressure waves to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions by accelerating the body’s healing process by increasing the circulation of blood and metabolism to regenerate injured and/or damaged tissues. Cells in the body that are responsible for connective tissue healing are stimulated thus encouraging the body to heal when it has not been able to heal on its own. Often when a connective tissue injuries becomes chronic, for example like in a tendinopathy, the tendons have inadequate blood supply for healing to occur and shockwave therapy creates inflammation and blood flow to the area to trigger the body’s cellular responses to heal the tissue as if it were an acute injury.

treatment

Once it has been determined shockwave therapy would be a beneficial treatment option (after a discussion regarding alternate options, risks and benefits had been provided) :

• The treatment itself lasts approximately 5-10 min per body part treated. Each treated body part would receive up to 2000 shocks. Ultrasound gel (water based) is applied to the area being treated to assist the acoustic waves to penetrate the tissues, and then light pressure of the sound head is applied to the area during treatment.

• The shockwave machine is a little noisy, and patients have indicated the sensation can vary from being comfortable to being comparable to being hit with a ball-pin hammer. The more inflamed the injury and the less tissue in the area treated (ie. directly to a tendon), the more painful treatment may be. Adjustment to the Intensity may reduce the discomfort, however, this may lower effectiveness of treatment and potentially resulting in additional treatments being needed.

• For treatment to be effective, treatment would occur 1x a week for 3 weeks. The appointments would be scheduled no less than 5 days apart and no more than 11 days apart.

• After the 3rd treatment you would wait 4 weeks to allow the area to heal. In the 4 week follow-up appointment, the area would be reassessed to determine if further treatment is required. It is advised that while undergoing shockwave therapy, you do not use NSAIDs (oral or topical to the area) or ice, as this will decrease the inflammation the shockwave is creating to heal the area. Your therapist will give you guidelines on activity and exercise during the treatment period.

• Please note, it may take up to 6 months for a calcification to resolve depending on its size and location.

• Increased risk of bruising to the area being treated and possible soreness may occur.

caution

Shockwave Therapy is contraindicated in the following circumstances:

• Active cancer or a history of cancer

• Patients that are pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• Implanted pacemaker

• Blood clotting disorder (including thrombosis,

• If you have received a steroid injection within 6 weeks (including cortisone)