Nonunion Fracture Treatment — How Shockwave Therapy Helps with Clavicle Fractures

Clavicle fractures are a common injury, accounting for approximately 5% of all adult fractures. Cyclists are particularly prone to clavicle fractures, with up to 16% of cyclists suffering from this type of injury. While surgery is required for only about 5 to 10% of clavicle fractures, some fractures fail to heal, resulting in nonunions.

Nonunions are a frequent complication after surgery for midshaft clavicle fractures, which comprise 80% of all clavicle fractures. Many studies have shown that conservative treatments for clavicle fractures have unsatisfactory outcomes and high nonunion rates. Revision surgery for clavicle nonunions has a 15% complication rate, indicating the need for better nonunion fracture treatment.

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive and drug-free alternative to surgery for treating nonunions. Using acoustic pressure waves, shockwave therapy stimulates metabolism and circulation, allowing the body’s natural healing powers to take over. Studies have shown that shockwave therapy can achieve up to 73% success rates in treating long-bone nonunions after six months. Furthermore, shockwave therapy had no adverse effects in these studies, while surgery had a 7% complication rate.

A case study involving an injured cyclist demonstrated the effectiveness of shockwave therapy for treating clavicle fracture nonunions. The patient had a clavicle nonunion following screw and plate fixation. After receiving ten sessions of low-intensity shockwave therapy, the patient’s visual analog scale and functional score improved significantly, with no anesthesia or side effects required.

Another study compared high-energy shockwave therapy for clavicle fractures to surgery. Researchers found that the shockwave group had a cure rate of 75% compared to 71% for the surgery group at the six-month follow-up. Furthermore, the surgery group had a 14% complication rate compared to none for the shockwave group.

Shockwave therapy is an effective and safe nonunion fracture treatment option for clavicle fractures, avoiding the risks and complications associated with surgery. Shockwave therapy also helps reduce healthcare costs by lowering the costs of materials and hospitalizations.

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