Tendons are the tough, fibrous connective tissues within our muscles that link the bones to the muscles to make sure that when we move a specific muscle, it tugs on the bone and triggers motion. They’re very susceptible to strain and stress as a result of their limited range of motion and the substantial loads they endure in the course of daily activity.
Tendonitis is a very painful inflammatory reaction of the tendons. It can be caused by overuse, tension, or some other activity that places too much pressure on your soft tissues. Almost any repeated movement may result in tendonitis — particularly amongst those who devote a significant amount of time to doing it. (It additionally does not help that we devote so much time hunching over our smartphones and desk jobs.)
Other Reasons for Tendonitis Include:
- Chronic inflammation
- Muscle tension
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Insertional tendinopathy
- Chronic tendinopathy
- Muscular disorders
- Functional disorders
- Restricted mobility
- Scar tissue formation
- Plantar fascia
- Muscle strain
- A wide range of injuries
Tendonitis can make it difficult for you to move without discomfort, weakness, and tightness. If you’re a golf enthusiast, tennis player, or another sportsperson who regularly overuses their tendons, then you understand first-hand how discouraging and incapacitating tendonitis can truly be. If left untreated, tendonitis can get even worse and turn into chronic tendonitis, which is additionally called tendinosis. With this disease, the tendon comes to be weaker and doesn’t heal appropriately. If left without treatment for too long, it might not ever heal entirely or go back to typical function again.
Thankfully, with the proper therapy at the proper time, you will be back to your regular activities in no time, with adequate pain relief and without any remaining effects from your flare-up of tendonitis — just keep reading for all the information!
What is Shockwave Treatment?
Shockwave treatment, also referred to as “extracorporeal shockwave therapy” (ESWT), is a painless, non-invasive therapy that has been proven to be extremely successful in treating a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including tendonitis. It uses tightly-focused sound waves (using approximately 10 to 15 Hz shockwave frequency) that are created by a device to make teeny injuries in your tendons to stimulate restorative healing. Shockwave therapy is an effective treatment alternative to surgical intervention to relieve a variety of problems, including knee, elbow, and shoulder tendonitis. Radial shock waves treatment is performed in a medical setting with a gel cushion or pad to protect the skin. The cushion supplies energy using acoustic waves / acoustic energy to your tendons. The sound waves cause the fluid in your tendons to vibrate and produce micro-injuries that stimulate repair processes and increase blood flow to the affected area.
Types of Shock Wave
- Radial shock wave therapy /radial extracorporeal shock wave
- Focused shockwave therapy
How Does Shockwave Treatment Help Alleviate Tendonitis?
Shockwave therapy functions by producing pressure waves causing micro-injuries in your tendons. Having made these very small injuries, your body initiates a healing system that creates new collagen, new blood vessel formation and restores your tendon to proper health and function. This is called the “regenerative” process, and it allows your body to restore broken tissues and return them to their regular state of wellness and function. This is among the many ways shockwave treatment helps alleviate tendonitis!
Another reason shockwave therapy may be effective for tendonitis is that it doesn’t require any oral or topical prescriptions that may have side effects and are normally related to some other therapies for tendonitis. This may be extremely helpful for those who want to stay clear of unnecessary negative effects or for those who are allergic to particular medications.
With shockwave therapy, you can focus on recovering and feel sure that you’re getting the very best possible care for your disorder.
The Benefits of Shockwave Therapy for Tendonitis
Employing shockwave therapy to deal with tendonitis has a variety of advantages over other treatments, including:
No Negative Effects: Among the most obvious benefits of shockwave therapy is that there are no negative effects and no threat of adverse reactions. The treatment is completely safe and doesn’t come with any prospective negative effects like oral or topical medicines do.
No Needles: Another benefit is that with shockwave therapy you will not need to cope with the pain and discomfort of shots. Lots of therapies for tendonitis include injecting the affected area to trigger the healing process, but shockwave therapy does not. You get the same benefits without needing to face the pain and hassle of hypodermic injections.
No Lost Time: Another benefit of shockwave therapy is that you don’t need to stress over having to take some time absent from work or being inactive while your tendon is healing. The treatment is pain-free and does not call for any lost time.
No Long-term Adverse Effects: Among the greatest benefits of shockwave treatment for tendonitis is that it doesn’t include any long-lasting negative effects. You can feel confident you will not have to tackle any complications or unfavorable reactions in the future. The regenerative system that shockwave treatment induces can help stop future tendon damages!
FAQs
What Other Conditions Can Shockwave Treat?
Shockwave therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions including tennis elbow, shoulder pain, knee problems, chronic plantar fasciitis, acute plantar fasciitis, proximal plantar fasciitis, additional muscle irritation, Achilles tendonitis, ankle sprains, shin splints, lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, and many others.
Does Shockwave Therapy Have a Very High Success Rate?
Yes. Studies show that 90% of patients report significant improvement in symptoms following a single session of shockwave therapy. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that 80% of patients reported complete relief of pain within one week.
Are There Any Relevant Side Effects of Shockwave Treatment?
Shockwave treatment doesn’t have any substantial or long-lasting side effects. While there might be some slight pain or mild inflammatory response after the therapy, these adverse effects aren’t significantly prominent and will disappear by themselves in a few days. There is also no threat of harming close-by tissues or nerves.
It should be kept in mind that shockwave treatment isn’t suitable for everyone. People with particular medical issues such as pregnancy, open injuries or infection, or an allergy to ultrasound ought to stay clear of it. It is always best to ask your doctor or physiotherapist if shockwave therapy is appropriate for you.
How Much Does Shockwave Treatment Cost?
The cost of shockwave therapy for tendonitis varies from clinic to clinic and from client to client because every condition and circumstance is different. It’s ideal to discover a center in your local area and visit them face to face to get a price for your specific treatment. Be certain to ask about any insurance protection that may be accessible to you. If you have medical insurance, make certain to look over your coverage and see if it covers shockwave therapy for tendonitis. If it does, you can usually make an appointment with a therapist or expert near you and get started straight away. If you do not have medical insurance, you can still pay a visit to a clinic and find out if they offer a payment plan or treatment financing alternative to make the therapy more economical.
How Many Treatments Will You Need?
The quantity of shockwave therapy sessions you need will differ depending on the severity of your tendonitis and your response to the therapy. You’ll most likely begin to see benefits in between two and five treatments. The best method to know when you can stop receiving treatment is to keep track of your progress with a symptom and pain tracking app like Healio. If you have medical insurance, make certain to bring it to your session. This will help you make the most out of your therapy and feel better faster.
Where Can You Get Shockwave Treatment for Tendonitis?
As we mentioned earlier, shockwave treatment is performed in a center. If you’re enduring discomfort and pain from tendonitis, it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible to prevent the condition from becoming worse. Especially if you have had other treatments and they weren’t helpful, then it’s well worth giving shockwave treatment a try.
Give Pure Life Physiotherapy a call soon and our experienced team can start eliminating your tendonitis discomfort. Now scheduling new clients!