The most effective treatment with a fast & safe recovery.
Many people suffer from painful tendon problems, and although physiotherapy, painkillers or local steroid injections can provide some relief, often surgery has been the only real solution to relief chronic pain.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is an innovative and non – invasive treatment, proven to be a cost effective solution for condition such as plantar fasciitis ( heel pain), achilles tendinopathy, patella tendinopathy ( knee pain), medial tibial stress syndrome. In fact, in medical studies a success rate of 90% has been reported in cases of Plantar Fasciitis ( heel pain) and a 75% success rate for Achilles Tendinopathy.
Originally introduced as a medical treatment for eliminating kidney stones, the use of Shockwaves or Radical pressure waves ( RPW ) has now been successfully extended to other therapeutic and wellness applications.
The effectiveness of the treatments for specific condition has been reviewed & accepted in the UK by NICE ( National Institute of Health & Clinical Excellence ), and in the USA by FDA ( US Food & Drug Administration ). Furthermore, the use of Shockwave Therapy is now supported by many medical insurance companies. If you are planning to fund treatment through insurance, please check your policy.
How does Shockwave Therapy work?
Shockwave therapy is a series of energetic waves delivered to the damaged tissue via a compressed air impulses. These waves are purely mechanical and do not use electricity, the initiates a response in the tissue that is being treated.
The body responds by increasing the blood circulation and metabolism in the area of treatment, which in turn speeds up the body’s own healing process.
Shockwaves are sound waves that have specific characteristics, including nonlinearity, high peak pressure followed by low tensile amplitude, short rise time, and short duration ( 10 ms ), They have a single pulse, a wide frequency range ( 0 – 20MHz ), and a high pressure amplitude ( 0 – 120 MPa )
These characteristics produce a positive and negative phase of shockwave. The positive phase produce direct mechanical forces, whereas the negative phase genera cavitation and gas bubbles that subsequently implode speeds, generating a second wave of shockwave.
In comparison to ultrasound waves, the shockwave peak is approximately 1000 times greater than the peak pressure of an ultrasound wave.
The effects of ESWT are unknown. However, the proposed mechanism of action for ESWT include the following: neovascularization at the tendon – bone junction, stimulate proliferation of tenocytes and osteoprogenitor differentiation, increase leukocyte infiltration, and amplify growth facto and synthesis to protein synthesis to stimulate collagen synthesis and tissue remodelling.
Does it hurt?
There is only discomfort associated with the treatment. Pain relief is also one of the inherent effects of the wave. Furthermore wave intensity can be varied to suit the individual patient.
Are there any side effects?
As with any treatment, some slight side effects may be noticeable. Fortunately, shockwave therapy has very mild side effects and these usually fade & disappear within 3 – 5 days.
Side effects may include:
- Soreness over the treatment site
- Reddening of the skin over the area treated
- Mild swelling may appear I er the area treated
How many treatments will I require?
A standard treatment cycle last 4-6 session, scheduled at 5-10 days intervals
When will I see improvement?
Initial improvement an be noticed after a couple of treatments and should continue throughout the treatment cycle. The positive effects of shockwave treatment can continue to be felt up to 12 weeks after the last session.
Session length: 20 – 30 minutes Cost per session: £65Please do not hesitate to ask and discuss treatment and pricing.