Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in orthopaedics, rheumatology, rehabilitation and wound healing

Background: STORZ MEDICAL shock wave systems have been used for orthopaedic applications since 1992. The spectrum of indications in orthopaedic ESWT, initially limited to pseudarthrosis, has later been extended to include insertional tendinopathis, delayed wound healing and myofascial pain syndrome. It is a treatment using powerful acoustic pulses which is mostly used to treat kidney stones and is now widely used in physical therapy and orthopedics as well.

Description: Shockwave therapy is a focused, extracorporeal shockwave, targeted at specific areas to facilitate healing and pain reduction. “Extracorporeal” means “outside of the body”. It is therefore a completely non-invasive procedure to treat musculoskeletal conditions using shockwaves to heal the area by increasing the blood flow.

Mechanism: ESWT sends acoustic shock waves into bone or soft tissue. This results in reinjuring the area on a cellular level and breaking up the scar tissues within the affected tendons and ligaments. The controlled reinjuring of tissue allows regeneration of blood vessels and bone cells. The effect of revascularization thus leads to faster healing, assisting the return to pre-injury activity levels.

Physiotherapy outcomes: Pain reduction, increase body metabolism, revascularisation, recovering normal muscle tone

Which common musculoskeletal conditions are treated?

• Upper and lower limb tendinopathies

• Plantar fasciitis

• Adhesive capsulitis/frozen shoulder

• Osteoarthritis

• Post orthopaedic surgery

• Stress fracture

• Ligament sprain

• Chronic pain