Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a new treatment for tendon pain; it has also been proved to be effective in the treatment of a range of tendon problems including plantarfacsiitis, ankle, shoulder, knee and elbow pain.
ECSWT is non-invasive form of treatment with strong research evidence behind it, including large clinical trials from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Exellence)
ECSWT works in two ways physiologically to reduce persistent tendon pain.
- The shockwaves desensitize nerve endings, which leads to a reduction in pain levels.
- The second and the most important effect is that the shockwaves cause controlled micro-trauma (microscopic damage) to the pathological tissues. This results in the activation of the structures natural healing response. This can often lead to change in tendon / soft tissue structure and a resolution of the problem.
ECSWT is more effective when integrated with a treatment and rehabilitation regime.
It is also important to address any under lying biomechanical issues (for example posture, alignment, gait, running style, muscle length and strength issues).
These anomalies may well have lead to tissue overload / failure and the resultant tendon or soft tiss