Shockwave Therapy or Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is the application of very strong energy pulse for a brief time to treat a variety of soft tissue, bone and joint conditions. The technique developed out of an application by the medical community which has been used for years: shockwaves to break up kidney stones.
In shockwave therapy, the pulse created by the device is very strong and lasts for a short time. The device is able to direct the pulse very specifically and in a controlled fashion to the injured tissue area. The pulse is not electric but is a shock created from a physical sound wave. Shockwave essentially re-injures the specific area in a controlled way that actually stimulates the body to increase blood flow, break down calcification deposits, and regenerate bone and blood cells. It speeds up the healing process. As one local chiropractor commented: "I had never come across a treatment that could reliably and completely resolve chronic nagging tendon or ligament to bone enthesopathies..... Pulse activated treatment is proven in the literature and it works.”1
Some of the conditions for which shockwave therapy can be used are: plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, strained arch, stress fractures, bursitis, knee and shoulder tendonitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendonitis, osteoarthritis.
A typical session will last 10-15 minutes. The number of treatments needed is usually about 3-5 but will depend of course on the client's specific condition and healing response. There can be bruising or reddening at the site and some discomfort which usually subsides within 24 hours.
Shockwave therapy is being used as part of treatments programs by several chiropractors and sports practitioners .
1 http://www.canadianchiropractor.ca/content/view/1730/38/
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