What is Radial Shockwave Therapy?
Extracorporeal Radial Shockwave Therapy is currently the treatment of choice for conditions such as plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, achilles tendinitis, patellar tendinitis, bursitis, rotator cuff injuries or tendinitis and more.
Medic Physiotherapy is proud to offer the advanced technology of Shockwave Therapy using Zimmer enPlus which is from Germany based Zimmer Medical Systems. This equipment has a handpiece which generates a mechanical high energy percussions wave, which is transmitted to the human body by the applicator head and which radiates out into the tissue. Mechanical energy is absorbed by the tissue and decreases with increasing distance from the application site. Mechanical stress triggers tissue reactions that have a positive effect on a wide range of orthopedic and neurological conditions. It is important to understand that this is not electrotherapy.
Shock wave therapy works by creating an inflammation in the treatment area. Increased metabolic activity in the damaged area stimulates and accelerates the healing process. Shock wave therapy, which inhibits the transmission of pain, has been reported to be effective in breaking down and even calcifying skin tissue. Most patients notice an immediate reduction in pain and increased mobility. In most cases, the improvement is enough to eliminate the need for surgical intervention. A typical regimen is 2,000 strokes per five-minute session, given once a week for about three weeks (up to five weeks if the condition is very chronic).
The shockwaves aren’t fun for many, but they’re worth it. There may be some lingering discomfort in the treated area, but this will gradually subside. We advise patients not to use ice or take anti-inflammatory drugs for pain, because the main goal of treatment is to improve the immune response to inflammation. Although painless, we recommend reducing activity for 48 hours after each treatment.
Although the improvement begins immediately, it may take up to three months to feel the full effect of the treatment. Worldwide, almost 90% of patients report a 75% or more reduction in pain intensity over the same period. Although shock therapy may be the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation, Dr. Caruso has access to many other medical equipment and techniques in the office to treat even the most difficult cases. shorter treatment time and improve recovery. Shockwave therapy is now the treatment of choice among professional athletes for chronic pain, helping them get back on the field faster. Medic Physiotherapy is now making this advanced technology available to the general public and recreational athletes.
Shockwave therapy sends acoustic pressure waves to the bone or soft tissue, which actually injures it at the cellular level and breaks down the scar tissue that surrounds the tendons and ligaments. Control of tissue regeneration allows the body to regenerate blood vessels, tissue and bone cells. Revascularization results in faster healing, chemical decreases in pain receptors, and often returns to pre-injury activity levels. Therefore, any condition that requires scar tissue or fibrous tissue separation will often respond well to Shockwave Therapy.
Success Rate of treatment of certain conditions is evident in the literature. Studies report that After only 2-3 sessions over 80% of patients report a significant reduction in pain,
90% improvement of Plantar Fasciitis (Journal of Orthopedic Research, 2005),
91% improvement of Calcific Tendonitis (Journal of American Association, 2003), and
77% Improvement for Tennis Elbow (Journal of Orthopedic, 2005)
