At Physioelite, a leading physio clinic bristol, shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment used to address a wide range of injuries, including tendinopathies. Shockwave therapy works by delivering high-energy acoustic waves to painful areas and affected musculoskeletal tissues, even where conditions have been present for several weeks or many years. This targeted energy stimulates healing by promoting regeneration and reparative processes within the tissue, helping to reduce pain and improve function effectively.
Shockwave therapy can be classified into two main types: Radial and Focused.
Radial Shockwave Therapy (RSWT):
Radial Shockwave Therapy and High-Powered Laser Therapy are advanced, non-invasive treatment options used to support pain relief and tissue healing. Radial shockwave therapy, also known as ballistic or defocused shockwave, disperses acoustic waves in a radial pattern, with the highest energy at the skin surface and decreasing as it penetrates deeper into the body. High-Powered Laser Therapy uses focused light energy to stimulate cellular activity, reduce inflammation, and accelerate the body’s natural healing processes, making it an effective complementary treatment for a range of musculoskeletal conditions.
In RSWT, the shockwaves are generated using a compressor that accelerates a projectile inside a metal tube. The projectile strikes a metal applicator placed on the patient’s skin, and the resulting pressure waves move radially through the tissue.
Radial shockwave is often used for treating superficial areas and is suitable for conditions like plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and other superficial musculoskeletal disorders. The main goal of RSWT is to decrease pain and improve mobility by promoting neovascularization and stimulating the body’s natural healing process.
It also has an application in chronic low back pain for resolving muscular tightness and limitation, as well as improving muscle function particularly after strains.
Focused Shockwave Therapy (FSWT):
Focused shockwave therapy, as the name suggests, focuses the energy into a small, specific point. The waves converge in a focused area within the body, allowing a more targeted treatment. The energy is lower at the skin level but significantly higher at the focused point, deeper within the body.
Focused shockwaves are generated either by electromagnetic, electrohydraulic, or piezoelectric principles. They produce high-pressure amplitudes and are more precise in targeting deeper structures.
FSWT is commonly used for the treatment of deeper pathologies like osteoarthritis, fracture sites with mal-union, shin splints, chronic enthesopathies, trigger finger, and De Quervains. It can be highly effective in carpal tunnel syndrome, preventing the need for surgery.
FSWT also has application in Men’s Health in erectile dysfunction.
In summary, the main difference between these two types of shockwave therapy lies in their energy distribution and depth of penetration. Radial shockwave is used for superficial disorders, with the energy highest at the skin level and disperses outward, while focused shockwave therapy targets deeper issues with a concentrated point of high energy. The choice between these therapies depends on the condition to be treated, its location, and clinical examination.
Please find an available download that explains the range of conditions that can be treated.
As always if you are uncertain of your diagnosis, you can book an appointment here or by calling 0117 9570206.
