Shockwave Therapy is a form of treatment for tendon dysfunction to reduce pain and restore function in injured tissues. It is completely safe with rare side effects – no more than you may get with a sports massage.
The shockwaves are felt as pulses which are a little uncomfortable but not painful. Typically your first treatment will start with a low level of intensity and increase this to a point where you feel comfortable. Mild pain is indicative of healing.
We recommend a minimum of 3 treatments for best results but resilient injuries may need more sessions. It is important to note that multiple follow up rehab sessions of Osteopathy or Sports Massage are necessary to gain the full benefit of the Shockwave Therapy.
A gel medium lotion will be used and you may be asked to dress down to access the skin of the symptomatic area – the treatment will take about 20 minutes for each session.
Injuries shockwave therapy may help with include: golfers elbow, tennis elbow, achillies tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ITB syndrome, calcific tendinopathies as well as hamstring, hip, shoulder and knee conditions along with chronic back and neck pain. It must be stressed that the best results are with conditions that are chronic (more than 6 months). We wouldn’t recommend using it with acute issues until the use of manual therapy has been exhausted.
Assessment
You will be assessed on your first consultation before treatment to make sure there are no contraindications to treatment and to be able to diagnose the condition and create a treatment plan. However, please note conditions where you would not be able to receive shockwave therapy include: if you are pregnant, if you are taking antiplatelets or anticoagulant medication, if you have a blood clotting disorder, if you are under 18, if you have been diagnosed with cancer or are being treated for an active cancer, or if you have any of the following in, on or around the symptomatic area: tendon rupture, current infection, metal pins or plates or have had a recent steroid injection.
If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment please don’t hesitate to get in touch.