Harpenden Osteopaths are delighted to now offer Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment for soft-tissue injuries, where high energy sound waves are applied to the site of injury promoting healing.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends shockwave therapy for the following conditions:
- Heel pain/ Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendon pain
- Hip pain (gluteal tendinopathy)
- Tennis elbow
- Shoulder pain (calcific tendinopathy)
As well as proving beneficial in many other musculoskeletal conditions such as knee pain from patella tendinopathy, shin splints, golfer’s elbow and upper hamstring pain.
What is Shockwave Therapy?
The advantages of Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is a highly effective, NICE approved and a safe treatment of tendon-related, chronic pain. It delivers high energy pulses of sound waves, via a hand-held device, to the site of injury with pinpoint accuracy.
Pain relief
Shockwave therapy can help to relieve pain and accelerate healing
High success rates
Shockwave therapy has an overall 90% success rate in reducing pain
Fast results
Results can be felt a lot sooner than many other standard treatments
Minimal complications
There are minimal complications so you can know you’re in safe hands
No medication
There is no need for medication before, during or after this treatment
Non-invasive
It is a simple procedure requiring no medical equipment, so you can carry on being you
Pain relief
Shockwave therapy can help to relieve pain and accelerate healing
High success rates
Shockwave therapy has an overall 90% success rate in reducing pain
Fast results
Results can be felt a lot sooner than many other standard treatments
Minimal complications
There are minimal complications so you can know you’re in safe hands
No medication
There is no need for medication before, during or after this treatment
Non-invasive
It is a simple procedure requiring no medical equipment, so you can carry on being you
Equipment
Here you can familiarise yourself with the equipment used during treatment and how it works.
The equipment used at Harpenden Osteopaths is manufactured by Storz Medical in Switzerland. Storz Medical was established in 1987 to develop the highest quality shockwave therapy equipment available.
Storz Medical is a partner company to Karl Storz who have been supplying high quality medical devices to the medical profession for 75 years. Storz Medical shockwave equipment is used by the majority of experts, NHS hospitals and elite sporting clubs around the world.
Radial Shockwave
Radial Shockwave Therapy is a well-established procedure where shock waves are passed through the skin to the injured part of the body being treated. Shockwave therapy increases blood flow to the injured area, accelerates the body’s healing process and stimulates cell regeneration whilst also providing pain relief.
Focused Shockwave
At Harpenden Osteopaths, as well as using the more established Radial Shockwave, we also have the more recently developed Focused Shockwave which allows the sound waves to be delivered at a greater depth. Emerging research suggests that a combination of the two provides more flexibility intreatment with faster and better outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
What are Shockwaves?
Shock waves are high-energy, audible sound waves. In medicine, shock waves have been used since 1980 among other things for the dissolution of kidney stones. In rehabilitation therapy, shockwaves are transmitted to the area to accelerate healing. SHOCKWAVE THERAPY (ESWT) involves passing short, intense sound waves into affected tissues, which increases blood flow, has an analgesic effect and stimulates repair and regeneration. The treatment puts the cells into repair mode and allows your body to restart its own accelerated healing process.
Is Shockwave Therapy ESWT safe?
Yes. It has NICE guidance and FDA approval for a large number of indications. shockwave Therapy performed by qualified therapists is a largely risk-free and side-effect-free method of treating musculo-skeletal conditions and chronic pain.
How many sessions of Shockwave Therapy are needed and how long does it take?
The treatment lasts between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the condition. On average, three to six sessions are required. You will require a full assessment to determine the number of treatments you will need.
Will there be pain after the Shockwave Therapy treatment?
Normally patients experience a reduced level of pain in their condition or no pain at all immediately after the treatment, but a mild and diffused pain may occur a few hours later. This dull pain will subside after a day or so.
Shockwave therapy treatment initiates a pro-flammatory response in the tissue that is being treated. If necessary patients may use ordinary prescription-free pain killers. Do not use anti-inflammatory medication or apply ice on the treated area as both may interfere with the body’s self-healing process.