Shockwave Therapy

What is Shockwave? Extracorporeal shockwaves are high-pressure, low frequency sound waves, generated by a device outside the body and applied to the affected tissue in a site-specific manner. This type of therapy was originally used to treat human beings with kidney stones, by breaking up the stones without the need for invasive surgery. More recently, shockwaves have been used to treat a range of orthopedic conditions in both human beings and animals. When the shockwaves meet the tissue interfaces of different densities, the energy contained in the shockwaves is released and interacts with the tissue. The shockwaves appear to relieve pain and accelerate healing within the injured tissue, although the mechanism for these effects is unclear.

How is Shockwave treatment performed? First, a veterinarian must determine the exact source of the pain with a thorough lameness exam and possibly using radiographs or diagnostic ultrasound. Sedation is required for the application of the shockwaves, which takes no more than 20 minutes per site. Three treatments are recommended with a 7-14 day interval between each treatment.

What injuries will benefit from Shockwave Therapy? Since shockwave therapy uses the passage of sound waves through tissue, it is believed that any injury clearly identifiable on an ultrasound scan will potentially respond well to shockwave therapy. Conditions that may benefit from ESWT include, but are not limited to:

- Insertional desmopathies (Suspensory & Collateral ligament injuries)
- Tendonpathies (with and without calcification)
- Stress fractures
- Metacarpal joint disease
- Sesamoiditis & Sesamoid fractures
- Splint & coffin bone fractures
- Navicular disease
- Bone exotosis
- Degenerative joint disease (e.g. ring bone, spavin)
- Sore back problems

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