Shockwave Therapy

What Is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave Therapy is a modern and highly effective addition to osteopathic treatment. The How Osteopathic Clinic in Edinburgh was the first osteopathic clinic in Scotland to provide Shockwave Therapy and remains one of the few non-NHS or sports club aligned clinics in Scotland to use it in general osteopathic practice.

Initially used to dissolve kidney stones without the need for surgery, the use of Shockwave Therapy to treat musculoskelatal disorders and tendon pain began in the 1990’s. Subsequent medical trials have shown a significant increase in the healing process when Shockwave Therapy is used as part of osteopathic treatment.

How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?

The term Shockwave refers to the mechanical processes that expend as a wave in the body. A high amplitude wave frequency is produced and this creates a resonance effect which is generated by kinetic energy from the machines’ handpiece.

The resonance (shockwave) is able to pentrate deeply into the affected area, stimulating blood flow to facilitate deep tissue healing and removing inflammation while the shockwaves also assist in the stimulation of pro-collagen synthesis enabling tendon regeneration and repair. The resonance created by the shockwaves may also considerably reduce painful sensation by reducing nerve irritation.

What is Shockwave Therapy used to Treat?

Shockwave Therapy is successful in treating a number of chronic and long-term complaints and can drastically reduce the number of osteopathic treatments necessary.

All osteopathic treatment is centred upon the individual and so there is no comphrensive list of complaints which utlise Shockwave Therapy. As part of your initial consultation and diagnosis, your osteopath Helen How will will assess the osteopathic treatment best suited to your specific requirements. Shockwave Therapy may be used as part of your treatment depending upon your condition and symptoms.

However, some of the conditions which are relieved by Shockwave Therapy include: back pain and lower back pain, tennis elbow, hip pain, tendon pain and damage to tendons (including damage to the Achilles tendon).

Shockwave Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation.

Osteopath Helen How is highly experienced in the use of both Radial and Focus Shockwave Therapy and which she often uses as part of her sports rehabilitation treatment.  As part of her  Osteopathic CPD, she has attended courses in the use of Shockwave Therapy and lectures on the ways in which Focus and Radial Shockwave Therapy can be used as part of osteopathic treatment and the rehabilitation process.   For several years now she has successfully treated elite and amateur athletes using Shockwave Therapy at the How Osteopathic Clinic and has recently Helen attended seminars on Patella Femoral Pain with Claire Robertson and taken part in a Masterclass In-Running.

Is Shockwave Therapy Safe?

Despite the rather frightening name, Shockwave Therapy does not give you a “shock” but is instead a very gentle and effective osteopathic treatment for a large number of chronic and painful conditions.