Shockwave Therapy, Tendon clinic

The machine creates high pressure acoustic (sound) waves that are targeted at the injured tissue. This causes micro-trauma within these structures and sets off an inflammatory response. This is the body’s own healing mechanism. In chronic conditions this process has often become stagnated and the shockwave treatment can kick start it again so that we can harness the body’s own healing potential. leading to decreases in pain and increases in function It is a drug free, non-invasive treatment. 

Some of the tissue effects include.

⦁ Increasing blood circulation
⦁ Reversal of chronic inflammation
⦁ Stimulation of new tissue growth
⦁ Breaking down calcium deposits.
⦁ Pain reduction

What is it used for?

Shockwave is particularly effective for treating chronic soft tissue injuries, particularly tendons. It is the most effective treatment we have for treating tendons in combination with other physiotherapy interventions such as strengthening exercises and manual therapy. It can be used on a variety of tissues however such as chronic ligament pain, neck pain and hip bursitis. It is very effective at treating lateral hip pain which often get called hip bursitis but in reality the source of pain is the gluteal tendon. This responds very well to shockwave treatment. Some examples of tissues that can be treated with shockwave are:

⦁ Plantar fasciitis / heel spur

⦁ rotator cuff tendonitis

⦁ Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)

⦁ Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome/ (Often called hip bursitis or gluteal tendinopathy)

⦁ Proximal Hamstring tendinopathy (common in runners, pain in the butt, literally)

⦁ Achilles tendinopathy

⦁ Patellar tendinopathy

⦁ Myofascial trigger points

⦁ SIJ sacroiliac joint pain. 

⦁ Chronic medial knee ligament pain

⦁ Adductor tendinopathy