How it works :
Extracorporeal Shock Wave therapy® is thought to work by inducing microtrauma in the tissues affected by these problems. These microtraumas trigger a response from the body, which is characterized by an increase in circulatory flow via neovascularization and therefore will induce an acceleration of healing. Thus, there will be the formation of blood vessels and an increase in the supply of nutrients to the affected area. Microtrauma is thought to stimulate a repair process and relieve pain symptoms.
In particular, there are biological effects of :
• Cortical micro-ruptures and trabecular micro-fractures (osteoblastic reaction)
• Lysis of micro-calcifications
• Focused cell death (hyper-regeneration, growth factors and stem cells locally)
• Ruptures of extracellular and interstitial media
• Inhibition of nociceptive fibers (change in membrane permeability), “TENS effect” and release of endorphins
Indications :
• All mechanical tendinopathies
• Calcifying tendinopathy of the shoulder
• Lateral epicondylitis of the elbow (tennis elbow)
• Greater trochanter pain syndrome
• Patellar tendinopathy, including Osgood-Schlatter
• Achilles tendinopathy
• Plantar fasciitis, with or without heel spur
• Internal tibial periostitis
• Hamstring enthesopathy
• Trigger Points
Bone pathologies
• Delayed bone healing
• Bone non-union (pseudarthroses)
• Stress fracture
• Avascular bone necrosis without joint derangement
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) without joint derangement