Today, radial shockwave therapy is being used in orthopedics, physiotherapy, sports medicine, and more.

It not only provides quick pain relief but also results in a marked improvement in mobility.

In this blog, we explore what this therapy is, how it works, what conditions can it treat, and why should you consider it.

When you’re dealing with acute or chronic pain, you need a lasting, effective solution.

This is where radial shockwave therapy comes in. It is an advanced and non-invasive treatment method that helps your body’s natural healing processes.

With this innovative therapy approach, pathological alterations of tendons, ligaments, capsules, muscles, and bones can be healed systematically. The Storz Medical, radial shockwave systems, for instance, cover a great variety of indications in orthopedic therapy and rehabilitation medicine.

So, How Does Radial Shockwave Therapy Work?

The idea behind this approach is to introduce a micro-trauma to the area being treated. This, in essence, triggers your body’s natural healing response.

Medical practitioners use shockwave therapy devices, like the MASTERPULS®, to introduce high-energy sound waves into the body for short periods of time.

The resultant force penetrates the tissue and stimulates cells that are responsible for bone and connective tissue healing. This improves the body’s metabolism and enhances blood circulation to the area and effectively stimulates the regeneration process.

How Is Radial Shockwave Therapy Performed?

It is a quick process with minimal discomfort.

A radial shockwave therapy machine is used to perform the therapy. The handpiece is used to deliver the sound waves to the affected area(s) in slow, circular motions.

The treatment can range from 7 minutes, up to 30 minutes, depending on the size and number of areas treated. In general, most patients require three-to-six sessions and there is no downtime for recovery.

What Conditions Can Radial Shockwave Therapy Treat?

Radial shockwave therapy has effectively been used to treat a number of musculoskeletal conditions. Some of the conditions that can be treated with radial shockwave therapy include:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Jumper’s knee
  • Hamstring tendonitis
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Lower back pain
  • Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
  • Calcific tendonitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
  • Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
  • Stress fractures
  • Trigger points
  • Calf muscle shortening
  • Periarticular shoulder pain
  • Soft tissue conditions
  • Metatarsalgia
  • Hip bursitis
  • Neck pain

Why Should You Consider Radial Shockwave Therapy?

There are a number of reasons why both practitioners and patients prefer radial shockwave therapy. These include:

  • Studies have shown that it has a proven success rate. Shared below are the results from double-blind, randomized control studies, that demonstrate the effectiveness of shockwave therapy:
    • 91% improvement for calcific tendonitis of the shoulder
    • 77% improvement for tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
    • 76% improvement for Achilles tendinopathy
    • 80% improvement for radial and ulnar humeral epicondylitis
    • 74% improvement for patellar tendonitis (jumper’s knee)/achillodynia
  • Radial shockwave therapy usually eliminates the need for surgery – leading to a reduction in risks and complications as well as the recovery time. It is completely non-invasive and anesthesia is not required.
  • You can get results sooner and continue to go about your normal routine.

Suffering from chronic pain? Give radial shockwave therapy a try. Get in touch to find a shockwave practitioner near you.

If you’re a practitioner looking to add radial shockwave therapy to your practice, contact us to learn more about our shockwave therapy machines, including the MASTERPULS® Ultra line. Call 1 (888) 741-SHOC(7462) or visit https://shockwavecanada.com/our-shockwave-therapy-machines/.