Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
What is shockwave therapy?
Conditions Shockwave Therapy Treats
At Sports and Spine Physiotherapy, we offer cutting-edge treatments to help you recover from musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. One of the techniques we specialise in is Focused Shockwave Therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), a non-invasive and effective way to alleviate pain and promote healing.
Sports and Spine Physio offers Focused Shockwave Therapy and is the only sports physiotherapy clinic in Bondi Junction to offer this treatment. Approximately 90% of all patients report a substantial improvement after a course of treatment and the majority experience some immediate relief of their symptoms after the first two treatments.
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Acute injuries in elite athletes
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Knee & Joint arthritis
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Bone & Stress Fractures
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Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
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Osteitis Pubis -Groin Pain
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Insertional Achilles Pain
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Tibialis Posterior Tendon Syndrome
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Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome/ Shin Splints
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Haglunds Deformity
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Peroneal Tendon
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Hip Bursitis
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Tendinopathies and Enthesopathies
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Urological indications (ED) Erectile Dysfucntion
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Chronic Pelvic Pain / Endometriosis
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Delayed bone-non unions/bone healing
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Wound Healing and other dermatological &
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aesthetic indications
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Post ACL Reconstruction
How does shockwave work?
Shockwave therapy is delivered directly onto the affected area via the use of a ‘generator’ or device, using low-energy acoustic waves that penetrate the skin and treat the immediate area.
Treatments are delivered via a hand-held device, which turns compressed air into low-energy sound waves. Light pressure is applied and the device is moved across the damaged areas that require treatment.
Shock wave therapy has two main ‘modes of action’ that can help with persistent pain. Firstly, the shock waves work to ‘de-sensitise’ nerve endings which can immediately reduce pain in the local area.
Secondly, the waves stimulate blood flow in the area, causing a small amount of localised inflammation.
In the days immediately following the treatment, the body naturally tries to heal the inflammation and in doing so, encourages the regeneration of cells, repairing damaged tissue and reducing pain.
Shock wave therapy can also help with issues relating to scar tissue. Because scar tissue is much denser - and much less elastic - than normal tissue, the sound waves can help break it down, improving mobility and reducing discomfort.
Similarly, the waves can be used to break down ‘disorganised’ tissue or any build-up.
Radial Versus Focused Shockwave Therapy
Radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) and focused shockwave therapy (FSWT) are two different types of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) that use different methods to deliver shockwaves to the body.
Radial shockwave therapy delivers low-energy shockwaves to the affected area in a radial pattern, spreading out from the point of contact with the skin. RSWT has a relatively low energy intensity and is often used to treat superficial tissues.
Focused shockwave therapy, on the other hand, uses a device that delivers high-energy shockwaves to a specific, targeted deeper area of the body. FSWT is often used to treat conditions such as chronic plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, pelvic pain, endometriosis, osteoarthritis and shoulder calcification, among others. FSWT can be used to target deeper tissues and is typically used for more severe conditions. Focused is growing in popularity, due to the increased treatment options, treatment depth, treatment precision and patient comfort in more acute cases. In Sports and Spine Physio, we use Focused Shockwave Therapy.
