Coastal Podiatry Foot & Ankle Therapy Centre

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave therapy is a treatment used widely in Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy, Sports Medicine, Urology and Veterinary Medicine. Its main assets are fast pain relief and mobility restoration.

Together with being a non-surgical therapy with no need for painkillers makes it an ideal treatment to speed up recovery and help various indications causing acute or chronic pain.

Shockwave Therapy is a fast and effective non-invasive method of eliminating or reducing many painful conditions of the musculoskeletal system. It uses an electro-magnetic generator to physically deliver the shockwave through the skin, into the body.
The high-energy acoustic waves that are transmitted through the surface of the skin are spread radially (spherically) into the body and the body responds with increased metabolic activity around the area of the pain. This stimulates and accelerates the healing process.

Shockwave Therapy has been shown to have a 80 to 90% success rate if all underlying issues are addressed as well.

Radial pressure waves offer a non-invasive treatment solution to long term insertion and soft tissue pathologies. Local treatment in the affected area will support and reset the healing pattern.

Today there are several working hypothesis for the physical effects of radial pressure waves:
Pain reduction: The patient experiences a reduction of pain, explained by the Gate Control theory. Intensive pulses from the transmitter into the tissues create a strong nociceptor activation of the A-β fibers, which affect interneurons that inhibit the transmission of the pain signals.
Increased metabolism: Shockwaves influence the tissues on a cellular level. The chemical environment of the cells is affected by free radicals promoting the release of pain and inflammatory inhibiting substances.
Revascularization: Repeated shockwaves to the affected area create a revascularization effect, with the new blood flow in the area promoting tissue healing and regeneration.
Reduced muscle tone: The “vicious circle”, as well as the strong pathological association between pain and muscle tone, will be broken and lead to restoring a normalized muscular tone.

What are the benefits of SWT?
• Patients can be treated on both sides at the same time, if the condition requires.
• Non-invasive.
• Non addictive.
• Fast, safe and effective.
• Decreased pain and increased function.
• No incision; no risk for infection at the treatment site, no scarring.
• Future treatment options are not limited.

Indications
The majority of the treatment programs are for what we commonly refer to as “insertional tendinopathies”. Soft/connective tissue/muscles with trigger points or / and increased tension are also targets for treatment. In many cases shockwave treatment gives excellent results in order to dissolve calcifications.

• Plantar fasciitis / heel pain     • Knee Injuries     • Hip Bursitis & pain
• Achilles tendon pain     • Calcified tendonitis     • Shin splint     • Lower back pain
• Muscle sprains     • Trigger point therapy     • Neuralgia      • Sciatica
• Piriformis syndrome     • Muscular cramps/spasm      • Cellulite treatment
• Massage, Vibration therapy

How many sessions do I need to get better?
It is not possible to predict exactly the number of treatment sessions needed to achieve the desired outcome. It depends greatly on the severity of the condition, how long it has been around for, what other underlying causes there are, what else has been done to treat the condition. The average number of treatments necessary to get patients pain free is around 6- 8. This is based on the research over the past 20 – 30 years. Some patients may need fewer sessions, while others may need more. It is important to first thoroughly assess your situation. There may be underlying causes, which have led to the development of your condition in the first place. All underlying causes need to be treated, together with the application of shockwave therapy to be successful.

What Next?
For more information or to book a consultation with us, please call or friendly admin team on 5492 2944.

Healthy feet provide the foundations for a healthy body and an active life!

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About The Author

Dr Peter Shelton

Dr Peter Shelton BSc Hons. is an Accredited Podiatrist based in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

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