Shockwave is an acoustic wave which carries high energy to painful spots and myoskeletal tissues with subacute, subchronic and chronic conditions.
How does it work?
Contrary to conventional treatment methods, ESWT eliminates pain right at the point of origin. The point of injury is subjected to high energy acoustic pulses (or shock waves) through the use of a narrow rod. The body reacts with a strong healing response with raised local metabolism, increase capillary growth and tissue regeneration. Calcified tissue will start to be broken-up and re-absorbed by the body.
Shockwave Therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, in particular, those involving areas where major connective tissue attaches to the bone. Common areas that can be successfully treated are:
Foot – plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis
Knee – patellar tendinitis and shin pain
Elbow – tennis or golfer’s elbow
Shoulder – rotator cuff tendinitis and calcific
Hip – trochanteric bursitis
Muscles – various trigger points throughout the body
Shockwave therapy can be used for ED (erectile dysfunction) treatment by increasing blood flow and stimulation new blood vessel formation
New Blood Vessel Formation (Chronic Injuries & Erectile Dysfunction
Nutrient blood flow is necessary to start and maintain the repair processes of damaged tissue structure. The application of acoustic waves creates capillary microruptures in tendon and bone. Due to microruptures the expression of growth factors such as eNOS, VEGF, PCNS and BMP is significantly increased.
As a result of these processes arterioles are remodeled, stimulated to grow and new ones are formed. The new blood vessels improve blood supply and oxygenation of the treated area and support faster healing of both the tendon and the bone.
Reversal of Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation occurs when the inflammatory response is not completely halted. It can damage healthy tissue and results in chronic pain. Mast cells are one of the key components of the inflammatory process. Their activity may be increased by using pervasive acoustic waves.
Mast cell activation is followed by the production of chemokines and cytokines. These pro-inflammatory compounds first enhance the inflammatory process and in the next step help restore normal healing and regenerative processes.
Stimulation of Collagen Production
The production of a sufficient amount of collagen is a necessary precondition for the repair processes of the damaged myoskeletal and ligamentous structures. Shockwave therapy accelerates procollagen synthesis. The therapy forces the newly created collagen fibers into a longitudinal structure which makes the newly formed tendon fibers more dense and stiff and creates a firmer structure.
Dissolution of Calcified Fibroblasts
Calcium build-up is most often a result of micro-tears or other trauma to a tendon. Acoustic waves break up the existing calcifications. Shockwave therapy starts the biochemical decalcification of the calcium build-up of a toothpaste-like consistency and treats the tendon. The granular particles of calcium are then removed by the lymphatic system
Release of Trigger Points
Trigger points are the principal cause of pain in the back, neck, shoulder and limbs. They are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers and have extremely contracted sarcomeres. The dysfunctional sarcomeres contract so tightly that they begin to cut off their own blood supply. This causes the waste products to build up. Waste product build-up irritates the sensory nerve endings which then causes even more contraction. This vicious cycle is referred to as “metabolic crisis”. The assumed mechanism of action is that the delivered acoustic energy unblocks the calcium pump and thus reverses the metabolic crisis in the myofilaments and releases the trigger points.
