ESWT

Indications

Chronic insertion tendinopathies are treated with extracorporeal shockwaves with the intention to reduce pain. The therapeutic aim is not any "destruction" or disintegration as in urology, e.g. in cases of kidney stones. These orthopaedic diseases are:
  • heel pain (with or without a heel spur),
  • lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow),
  • achillodynia (Achilles tendonitis),
  • jumper's knee (patellar tendonitis) and
  • Dupuytren's contracture.

In the case of chronic calcifying tendinopathy of the shoulder or a complication after a fracture, ESWT is aimed either at disintegration of calcified deposits, with anodynia and improvement of function, or at achieving regenerative metabolic activation rather than a purely mechanical effect on the tissues to stimulate fracture healing. ESWT is therefore used in cases of the following indications:
  • calcifying tendonitis of the shoulder,
  • calcifying bursitis of the hip or targets,
  • delayed fracture healing, or
  • incorrect healing (pseudarthrosis).
It is important to understand that:
  • Shock wave therapy is not ultrasound,
  • Shock wave therapy does not necessarily hurt a lot,
  • Shock wave therapy is bloodless and
  • each therapeutic result depends on having a correct indication, on the correct choice of a suitable shock wave device and on the experience of the therapist.