What is Shockwave Therapy?
If you’re looking for a non-invasive, low-energy treatment option for healing, shockwave therapy may be a good choice for you. Shockwave therapy uses acoustic wave pulsations to promote healing and reduce pain. It is often used to treat chronic pain conditions such as tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and much more.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?
Shockwave treatment is used to treat the pain that persists after an injury or sickness. It does not require pain relievers because the aim of the treatment is to stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanism. This natural healing process will help to promote treatment and pain relief. Many people claim that the first treatment relieves their discomfort and improves their mobility.
Shockwave is an acoustic wave that carries elevated energy levels to pain, myoskeletal tissues with subacute, or subchronic and chronic ailments. The elevated energy levels boost your body’s regeneration and reparative processes. This can happen throughout the bones, tendons, and other soft tissues within your body.
The physiotherapist will assess you during your first visit to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for shockwave therapy. The physiotherapist will make sure you understand your condition and any options open to you in conjunction with therapy.
Typically, a week-long treatment is administered once a week for three to six weeks. The procedure itself is not particularly painful and only takes a few minutes.
Does Shockwave Therapy Work?
Yes! Shockwave therapy does work and is proven to be effective.
Studies have shown that the improvement of functionality and quality of life for a patient that received shockwave therapy treatment saw significant pain relief. On the five-point scale, they were able to see at least a two-point increase.
Shockwave therapy significantly reduced the pain of patients and could be the first choice of treatment because of how effective and safe it is!
What is Shockwave Therapy Used for to Treat?
There are a number of things that Shockwave therapy can treat. It is a treatment for chronic conditions and can help to alive pain in many areas of your body. Here are some of the most common injurys Shockwave therapy treats:
- Your Feet: Plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis
- Legs: Shin splints and Iliotibial band friction
- Knee pain: Tendonitis
- Hips: Bursitis
- Back injuries: Lumbar, cervical spine, and chronic muscular pain
- Elbows: Tennis or golfers elbow
- Shoulder Injuries: Calcific tendinosis
- Neck pain: Myofascial pain syndrome and neck pain
So whether you are looking for Shockwave therapy on your shoulder, pain in your back, stiff neck, or any of the other listed areas of pain, it’s a possible treatment for your injury/pain.
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy
There are a number of benefits that come with shockwave therapy. Here are some of the most common benefits patients see:
- Non-invasive and low energy
- No need for pain medication
- Stimulates your body’s natural healing mechanisms
- Reduced pain and improved mobility
- Safe and effective treatment option
- Postitive affect on acute pain
- No anesthesia is needed
- Relieve shoulder Pain, heels, knee, elbows, and back
If you are looking for a safe and effective way to treat chronic pain, shockwave therapy may be the right choice for you. It is a non-invasive, low energy treatment option that can help to improve your quality of life.
Shockwave Therapy Recovery Time
The typical recovery time for shockwave therapy is a few days to a week. You may experience some bruising or soreness after the treatment, but this should go away within a few days and isn’t common.
Most people see noticeable to significant improvement by the treatment. However, depending on the severarity of the pain or injury, mutlple treatments maybe required over a course of time.
Studies have shown that 80 to 90% of people with plantar fasciitis that were treated with Shockwave therapy were completely healed over a six-month period of time. So, it all just depends on the injury.
What to Expect at a Shockwave Therapy Treatment
When you go in for a shockwave therapy treatment, the physiotherapy clinic will assess your injury and medical history. They will also go over your goals for treatment.
After this, a physical examination will be done utilizing orthopedic assessment and movement evaluations. The physiotherapist will then make a diagnosis and discuss a plan of management with you.
You will be given education on shockwave therapy and how it can help to treat your condition or act as a subacute, subchronic, or chronic ailment.
The physiotherapist will assess you during your first visit to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for shockwave therapy and the physiotherapist will make sure you understand your condition and any options open to you.
Are there Side Effects
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive, low energy treatment option that has very few risks or side effects. The most common side effect is bruising or soreness after the treatment, but this should go away within a few days and isn’t common.
Shockwave therapy is not recommended if you are pregnant, have an active infection, or open wounds.
Shockwave Therapy in Calgary
Shockwave therapy is a treatment option that has been shown to be effective in treating a number of chronic conditions. It is non-invasive and low energy, which means there are few risks or side effects associated with the treatment.
If you are looking for an effective way to treat chronic pain, shockwave therapy may be the right choice for you.
If you think you would like to discuss using shockwave therapy as a treatment for your pain or injury, schedule an appointment with us today. Chinook Rehab Centre offers Shockwave therapy in Calgary and we always put our patients first!
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