THE ONLY CLINIC IN THE NORTH EAST WITH BOTH FOCUSED (real) SHOCKWAVE THERAPY & RADIAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY MACHINES.
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AN EFFECTIVE, SAFE & NATURAL TREATMENT OPTION
Shockwave Therapy (SWT) has been shown to be a highly effective treatment option for patients who have failed to respond to conservative manual therapies. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has received numerous clinical studies and has endorsed its effectiveness.
SHOCKWAVE HISTORY
Shockwave was initially used in the 1970s and 80s as a non-invasive treatment for Kidney Stones and has since become the treatment of choice for such conditions.
Enquiring minds started to wonder what effects shockwaves could have on bone, cartilage and soft tissues (tendons, ligaments and fascia). This has led to a growing body of evidence of its efficiency in aiding healing especially in recurring and chronic conditions.
The treatment goes by several different names, the most common being Shockwave therapy, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ECSW) or Radial Shockwave Therapy. The latter used to distinguish between the nature of the wave from the focused versions used elsewhere in medical practice.
SWT is a non-invasive, non-surgical evidence-based treatment which is quick, safe and affordable.
Shockwave Therapy, in conjunction with an appropriately prescribed exercise programme by your health professional, has been shown to help with the following conditions:
ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY BICEPS TENDINOPATHY PLANTAR FASCIITIS CALCANEAL HEEL SPURS CALCIFIC TENDONITIS & BURSITIS OF THE SHOULDER SUPRASPINATUS TENDINOPATHY PATELLAR TENDINOPATHY STRESS FRACTURES PSEUDOARTHROSIS (NON-UNION) GREATER TROCHANTER PAIN AT THE HIP TRIGGER POINT TREATMENT CELLULITE OSTEOARTHITIS CARPAL TUNNEL SHIN SPLINTS MUSCLE TEARS GROIN PAIN OSGOOD SCHLATTERS SEVERS DISEASE PUBIC SYMPHESIS DISORDER SIJ
THE WAVE
SHOCKWAVES ARE A PHYSICAL WAVE THAT BUILDS TO A PEAK AND AFFECTS THE TARGET TISSUES.
The shockwave gets its name because the wave intensity peaks after a high rise in energy and then falls off just as quickly. When you receive shockwave therapy you are getting between 4-21 of these shockwaves per second and the treatment lasts for about 4 minutes, this creating on average 2500 shockwaves into the tissues. The intensity of the shockwaves is governed by BAR pressure or Energy Flux Density (EFD) and is changed by the physician through feedback from the patient on the sensation they can feel.
WHAT DOES THE WAVE DO?
Professor Tim Kratson states, that one of the strongest arguments for the use of shockwave in therapy is that it effectively takes the affected issue from a chronic state to an acute one. In doing so, this provides a stimulant or trigger to a ‘stalled’ repair sequence.
Tissue Regeneration
Shockwave stimulates the cells that generate soft tissue and bone.Focused shockwave machines stimulate stem cell production and have shown amazing effects on reduced scarring, reducing healing times for a great many injuries and work on skin, soft tissues such as muscles, tendons or ligaments and also for regeneration of bone tissue for faster healing times.
Pain Reduction
The pulses delivered to the tissue help inhibit the transmission of the pain signal, initially via hypostimulation anaesthesia, then via the pain gate theory. This theory is based on Melzack and Wall’s work(1965).
Shockwaves influence the tissue on a cellular level, promoting the release of pain inhibiting and inflammatory substances required for the healing process.
Shockwaves influence blood flow deep into the tissues, promoting tissue healing and regeneration.
Side effects are minimal, in fact I would happily allow one of my children to use shockwave anywhere on my body. There must be a felt sensation during treatment for it to be effective, but the patient is always in control of this. On rare occasions petachiae (small red dots) can appear on the skin for a day after treatment or some mild swelling at the point of treatment (again rare).
If you have any further questions, or would like to discuss Shockwave Therapy as a treatment option and can be booked through Paul Hobroughs clinic in Northumberland via his online booking system here or to email Paul directly physio@hobrough-healthcare.com