Shockwave Therapy
The Consultation
During your consultation, Dr. Arora will assess your injury to see if you are a candidate for treatment. He will go over what is involved in the treatment, and explain if it can help your specific injury. He would then advise a treatment plan which consisting of 3 to 6 sessions (usually 5-7 days apart). At this point, typically Dr. Arora will handoff the care to Ashley or Dan, our Athletic Therapists, or Curtis, our physiotherapist, who administer the Shockwave Treatment. Dr. Arora also administers the treatment in certain cases. We also bill insurance for the treatment as it is normally covering by most plans.
Conditions We Treat
Highly effective, shockwave therapy promotes healing and may provide relief from a variety of painful conditions including:
⦿ Heel Spurs
⦿ Achilles Tendonitis
⦿ Tennis elbow
⦿ Frozen shoulder
⦿ Jumper’s Knee
⦿ Shin Splints
⦿ Scar Tissue treatment
⦿ Hip Bursitis
How The Treatment Works
We use a non-invasive hand held instrument, applied directly to the skin to administer the treatment. We usually apply gel to the area first to allow the instrument to glide easier over the skin. An acoustic pressure from the machine will then create an energy wave and create impulses in the applicator, which are then targeted toward the painful area. The process is relatively quick, only taking approximately 10 minutes per session and is painless.
How Does the Treatment Feel?
The intensity of the treatment is different for each injury and each individual. You should be able to feel the treatment, but should never be in pain during the treatment. Some people will notice immediate relief after the first session. We are trained to customize the protocol necessary for each patient.
Are There Post Treatment Considerations?
For certain areas, such as heel and arch conditions, we recommend to minimize weight bearing activity. We also recommend stop going for walks or exercising on the treadmill. This is to allow the area to heal while it is being treated. The same applies to any other area we treat with Shockwave Therapy. Rest is best. We also recommend not icing or heating the area, as the tissue needs to heal and any intervention can negate the benefits of the treatment.
Does It Work Well?
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Although there is no guarantee that shockwave therapy will work for everyone, research has been shown to have a long-lasting pain relief in at least 90% of patients. The experience in our office has been closer to 90%. Very few patients do not see the results they are looking for.