Shock Wave Therapy: can it help with chronic pain?
Providing pain relief for chronic tendon fascia and muscle problems, shock wave therapy can bring you comfort after just a few treatments, ensuring you can get back to the activities you love.
What is Shock Wave therapy?
Radial Shock Wave Therapy is a non-invasive therapy that reduces pain and stimulates healing in muscles, tendons and bones. It is used to treat a range of chronic lower limb conditions such as plantar fasciitis, insertional and mid-body Achilles tendonitis, patella tendinitis, medial tibial stress syndrome and greater trochanteric pain syndrome. It is common to have some immediate pain relief and studies have shown positive outcomes in approximately 70% of cases.
Your musculoskeletal specialist will use a device to pass acoustic shock waves at a set frequency through the skin to the affected area, and no need to worry, it is purely a mechanical wave, not an electric one.
How does shock wave therapy work?
The treatment initiates a pro-inflammatory response in the affected tissue that is being treated. Your body then responds by increasing the blood circulation and metabolism in the affected area which optimises your body’s healing processes. The shock waves can also break down calcifications. As a result of the cellular tissue micro-trauma created by shock wave therapy, metabolic reactions are stimulated which can produce:
- a reduction of pain felt by your nerve fibres
- an increase of blood circulation in your surrounding soft tissues
- stem cell activation triggering your healing process
How is the shock wave delivered?
Shock wave is delivered by our specially trained podiatrist who specialises in musculoskeletal and biomechanical issues. They will locate the painful area by palpation and apply a contact gel to your skin to improve the transmission of the shock wave.
Your podiatrist will then deliver your treatment via a handheld piece which creates a compressed air impulse through the shock wave machine. The shock wave radiates out through the head of the handpiece into the affected area. The treatment itself only takes 3-4 minutes to deliver a set of 2500 impulses of shock wave energy. You must attend 3 sessions over 3 consecutive weeks.
Is shock wave treatment painful?
Shock wave treatment can be painful during the application but your podiatrist will monitor this and if you feel unable to tolerate the pain levels they can adjust the settings to reduce your discomfort. A mild ache may also occur later that day but this should pass after 24 hours and you can take analgesic pain relief afterward if needed. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories should be avoided as they will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
Who can have shock wave therapy?
Your podiatrist will complete a full assessment of your condition and review your medical history to confirm if shock wave is suitable for you.
Shock wave cannot be used:
- to treat previously ruptured tendons
- during pregnancy
- in patients under the age of 18 years
- if you have a blood clotting disorder such as local thrombosis
- if you are being treated with oral anticoagulants (aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel, etc.)
- within 3 months of a cortisone injection into/around the injured tissue or used over local tumours, bacterial and/or viral infections.
Our expert podiatrists have been delighted to see shock wave therapy achieve significant results for our patients. Book in your consultation online with our Lead Podiatrist, Edward Double, who specialises in musculoskeletal issues, biomechanics and sports injuries for advice on treating your pain, and to find out whether shock wave therapy is the best option for you. Alternatively, call our patient care team on 01372 723000.
