Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), simply referred to as ‘Shockwave Therapy’ is a non-invasive treatment that was first developed in Germany in the 1960’s and is now widely used to treat a variety of tendon and soft tissue injuries.
Shockwave Therapy comprises the use of a machine that emits sound waves through the body increasing blood flow to the injured area which accelerates the body’s healing process. The shockwaves are mechanical not electrical.
This therapy is an effective treatment modality that is most commonly used to treat the following conditions:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Tennis Elbow
- Golfers Elbow
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Great trochanter pain syndrome
A number of studies have confirmed the effectiveness of Shockwave Therapy to treat the above conditions especially when injuries fail to respond to more conservative treatment types.
It is not usually expected for patients to suffer severe side effects from this treatment, however slight bruising or odd sensations at the site of treatment may be experienced. More severe side effects are not normal and if experienced should be reported to a Doctor.