Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is a non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment within regenerative medicine, which through acoustic or sound waves, has a therapeutic effect on injured tissues. It consists of sending these rapid impulses from the outside of the body where an injury is to relieve pain and repair soft tissues. There are two types of therapy, the focal ones that send the waves to a more limited area, but with greater depth, and the radial ones that send the waves to a wider area and the effect is more superficial.
This therapy is indicated in various pathologies and injuries, the most common are:
- Chronic tendinopathies
- Plantar fasciitis
- Muscle calcifications
- Lateral epicondylitis
- Painful shoulder
- Calcaneal spur
- Stress fracture
It is important to see a doctor for a diagnosis and identification of the painful area. Usually both are performed in consult by a physical examination and ultrasound. Once the area to be treated is located, gel is applied to help the waves applicator to transmit them in a fluid way. Once the treatment is completed, it acts by creating capillary microruptures, activating an inflammatory response, increasing collagen production, and destroying calcifications. Therefore, it encompasses great medical benefits for the patient, some of which are pain relief and tissue repair, as well as the increase in new blood vessels, dispersion of pain mediators, and improvement of the healing process.
At Olympia we care about your health, providing quality medical care and different innovative therapy options. Being a non-invasive and easy-to-use treatment, it can be performed in almost all patients. It is also a great alternative to surgical treatments for certain diagnoses. The number of sessions will depend on the pathology and its severity, but a usual treatment is from 6 to 10 sessions, which are spaced in one session per week. If you have chronic pain or a musculoskeletal injury, come in for an assessment with our sports medicine doctor.