What is Radial Pressure Wave Therapy?
Radial Pressure Waves (RPW) are acoustic waves that generate oscillations in the surface to which they are applied. This is known as a form of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) - however there is no "shock" involved. Radial pressure wave therapy helps reduce pain and activates the treated bodily tissue and connective tissue, aids in the increase of blood flow, and helps in the overall regenerative healing cascade of chronic non-healing, non-improving musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle. It is also use extensively in the shoulder, hip, knee, low back and virtually throughout the entire body's musculoskeletal system. Mechanical stress to the soft tissues activate the production of different proteins and bioactive factors/chemicals to stimulate the recovery of those structures. Shockwave therapy is seeing a great increase in its use to treat musculoskeletal disorders in the last decade. It offers a modern,
cutting edge technology that is a non-invasive, non-surgical alternative and allows for return to activity utilizing your own body's healing methods. RPW therapy has been shown to safely and significantly reduce tendon pain and improve functionality and quality of life without surgery
or medication. The therapy can help those with sports or overuse injuries and can benefit those undergoing physiotherapy for a range of complaints.
Most commonly, shockwave therapy is used to help treat the following conditions:
- Plantar fasciitis (pain in the underside of the foot)
- Achilles tendinopathy (pain in the tendon that connects the back of the
foot to the calf muscle) - Bony heel spurs
- Other overuse injuries of the foot/ankle
- Patellofemoral syndrome (runner’s knee)
- Iliotibial band Syndrome, or ITBS (pain that stretches from the outside of the hip down the outer thigh to the outside of the knee caused by running and cycling)
- Medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
- Golfers elbow (pain on the inner side of the elbow)
How does shockwave therapy work?
Shockwave therapy is delivered directly onto the skin of the affected area with a handheld device in the office. It uses low energy sound, or acoustic, waves, rather than electrical waves. There is no "shock" involved. These sound waves are ‘radial’ in shape and behavior hence the term Radial pressure waves. They can easily penetrate the skin, and once through, they radiate as a shockwave throughout the affected structures. Shockwave therapy is therefore a targeted type of therapy, only treating the areas that are injured or damaged. During your shockwave treatment a hand held device connected to a machine that turns compressed air into sound waves will be used. Ultrasound gel is applied to the skin beforehand to help transmit the shockwaves through the skin. Some light pressure will be applied and the device moved over the
area that requires treatment. The sound waves stimulate blood flow to the area, and also causes a small amount of localized inflammation. In the days after treatment, the body will work to naturally heal this inflammation, and in doing so, this can stimulate the repair and regeneration of cells. This may be able to help break down some of the scar tissue in the area.
Is shockwave therapy suitable for everyone? What are some precautions?
Before having any treatment, your physician will decide if you are a candidate for radial pressure wave therapy. Please let your provider know if:
- You’re pregnant
- You have or have had any kind of bone cancer
- You have an infection in the area that needs treatment
- You have a bleeding disorder
- You have metal pins or plates in the area that needs treatment
- You’ve received a steroid injection for the same problem in the last 12 weeks
- You’ve taken any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen for any reason in the last two weeks
Is shockwave therapy painful?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment, but you might feel a little pain or discomfort in the treatment area during the procedure. Most patients say it feels like small pulses against the skin and generally localized soreness can be noted. Each session will only last
a few minutes, so the vast majority of patients are able to tolerate the levels of discomfort caused by shockwave therapy. Although the goal is to make this a pleasant experience, the more energy that is delivered, the more healing can occur, so sometimes more pain or discomfort can be a helpful thing.
How long does it take to recover after shockwave therapy?
You can resume your regular activities but keep in mind to not overdo anything. You should avoid high impact exercise such as running or playing tennis for the first 48 hours after treatment. Please do not ice the area. A hot pack is okay to the area as well as warm showers. Please do not take Motrin, Ibuprofen or NSAID as this stops the healing process. You can take
Tylenol if needed. In the days following shockwave therapy, you may experience swelling and redness in the treated area. This can make your pain feel worse, but this is indicative of the healing process, is completely normal and will subside within a day or two.
How soon will shockwave therapy work?
It depends. Some people feel immediate relief while others may take time. Some patients require more treatments than others due to chronicity of the problem and different circumstances. In general, you should feel more relief as time passes. Some conditions may require more treatments than others. Some conditions may also respond better or quicker than others. A variety of other factors may also have an impact. Your specialist will be able to discuss your particular case and expectations with you. After your course of treatment is completed, your physician will likely follow up to evaluate your current status.
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