One in seven people suffer from some kind of orthopaedic impairment. And that’s in the United States alone. At least 7 million Americans undergo surgery annually to deal with said impairments. Fortunately, people who are suffering from back pain, foot pain, and other orthopaedic conditions would be delighted to know surgery is not the only option.
One effective alternative treatment they can look into is radial shockwave therapy.
Radial Shockwave Therapy in a Nutshell
In essence, radial shockwave therapy is a pain management technique that makes use of physically generated shock waves. Physiotherapists use a special equipment to generate shock waves. The shock waves are transmitted with the help of a gel that’s water-soluble.
The sound waves transmitted to damaged tissues will not only minimise discomfort and pain significantly, it can also speed up the healing process dramatically.
Amazing Benefits of Radial Shockwave Therapy
Radial shockwave therapy can be a very beneficial and effective treatment option for a vast range of orthopaedic conditions. The following are some of the superb benefits of radial shockwave therapy:
It can be used to treat a lot of conditions
Some of the conditions treated using radial shockwave therapy include:
- Hamstring injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Bursitis
- Neck and back pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Jumper’s Knee
Radial shockwave therapy has also been proven effective in breaking up scar tissue from old injuries that’s causing pain and limiting movement.
It is a non-invasive procedure
Since radial shockwave therapy is a non-invasive procedure, it is a welcome option for those who are not very comfortable with surgery. In addition, the modality is also safe and painless. No IVs, no cutting, and no pain medications needed!
It reduces inflammation
Chronic inflammation is common among people suffering from orthopaedic issues and radial shockwave therapy does a good job of removing it. The procedure also helps speed up the healing process.
In addition, radial shockwave therapy has also been known to help increase the activity of mast cells in the body. Mast cells are responsible for the reproduction of chemokine and cytokines. Both compounds help restore regeneration and promote healing.
It helps promote the formation of new blood vessels
Radial shockwave therapy helps promote formation of new blood vessels by creating micro ruptures in the tendons and bones. The micro ruptures stimulate the production of growth factors that create new blood vessels.
The new blood vessels will not only allow more nutrients and oxygen to reach the injury site, they can also help improve the blood supply. This helps the injury to heal faster.
It has a very high success rate
One reason many patients are enticed to give this therapy a try is its very high success rate. Majority of patients who have undergone radial shockwave therapy have reported dramatic improvements in their functionality and mobility. They also reported a huge reduction in pain and discomfort.
Radial shockwave therapy has also been known to be especially effective for patients who are suffering form plantar fasciitis with people reporting as much as 80 to 88 percent reduction in heel pain.
