Stoßwellentherapiezentrum

Leitung: OA Dr. Peter Stayner

Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)

Also referred to as extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), this method uses high-energy pressure waves to target and treat tendon attachment problems as well as muscle and bone conditions, and is largely complication free. Shockwave therapy uses sound waves focused deep within the body at the root cause of the pain, where they are most effective.

ESWT stimulates cell metabolism by activating mitochondria and releasing growth factors that accelerate the healing process of painful conditions such as tendon damage. The sound waves also cause the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis and vasculogenesis), which improves circulation and stimulates the body’s self-healing mechanisms, making it possible for damaged or degenerated tissue to regenerate and heal.

It is also thought that shock wave therapy can cause stem cells to migrate and “come home”. In the case of calcium deposits, such as calcific tendonitis of the shoulder, it is possible to directly shatter the deposit. This causes it to break down into small parts that are easily metabolized by the body. ESWT also has a direct impact on pain transmission: first, the cell walls of the pain receptors are affected, causing them to transmit fewer negative impulses. Secondly, ESWT causes sensory overload in affected tissues and nerves, reducing their ability to transmit pain. In particular, chronic pain can be alleviated in the long term using this method.

Using ESWT, extremely rapid and sustainable improvements can be achieved without radiation.

Ideal applications for ESWT:

• All types of tendon inflammation
• All types of tendonitis (non-inflammatory painful degeneration of the tendons), i.e., the Achilles tendon
• Tennis elbow / golf elbow
• Trochanteric pain syndrome (hip)
• Tendinitis calcarea (calcification in the tendon anchor area of the shoulder) and frozen shoulder
• Plantar fasciitis / heel spurs
• Fascia therapy
• Old cicatrized muscle injuries
• Fresh muscle injuries (low intensity and focused)
• Skeletal muscle pain
• Patellar tip syndrome and Morbus Schlatter disease (MOB)
• OCD in adults (degeneration of the cartilage bone area, usually in the knee or ankle joint)
• Pseudarthrosis of the small bones (=Non-union of fractures)
• Stress Fracture
• Shin splints
• M. Osgood-Schlatter
• Tension of the neck and back muscles, persistent tension of the large muscles (upper arm, forearm, pelvic region, thigh, lower leg)

ESWT should not be used in the following cases:

• Blood thinners (Marcoumar, Plavix)
• Pregnancy
• Tumors
• Not directly on a growth plate
• Osteomyelitis (bone suppuration) or other severe local infections
• Less than 6 weeks after a local cortisone injection and less than 3 weeks after a systemic infiltration

How does shockwave therapy work?

Primär bespricht der Arzt mit Ihnen die Ursache Ihrer Beschwerden und erläutert warum die Stoßwellentherapie bei Ihnen sinnvoll wäre. Es werden auch mögliche Komplikationen, wie oberflächliche Blutergüsse oder Schwellungen etc. besprochen. Eine Einwilligungserklärung sollte unterschrieben werden. Meistens sind dann vier (in seltenen Fällen bis zu sechs) Behandlungen mit der Stoßwelle erforderlich. Dabei wird ein spezielles Hautgel aufgetragen, damit die Stoßwellen ohne Energieverlust in den Körper eindringen und an der Problemstelle ihre Wirkung entfalten können. Die Behandlung selbst dauert jeweils fünf bis zehn Minuten, wobei der Arzt während der Behandlung erklärt, was er gerade macht. Die ESWT hat bei korrekter Indikationsstellung eine sehr hohe Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit – aber natürlich kann ein Therapieerfolg nie mit 100% garantiert werden und hängt auch ab von der Massivität und der Dauer der Beschwerden.

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