An Achilles injury is among an athlete’s greatest fears. It’s estimated that athletes have a lifetime incidence of Achilles tendonitis of 24%.
And while it’s common in sports, it occurs often enough for people who are inactive as well. An estimated five to 10 per 100,000 people in the general population are impacted by an Achilles injury. And this number is increasing.
Fortunately, shockwave therapy for Achilles tendonitis is a drug-free, non-invasive treatment option.
Shockwave Therapy for Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles injuries are notoriously difficult to treat for two main reasons.
First, tendons don’t get as much blood supply as muscles, so injuries don’t get the same supply of nutrients essential for recovery. Second, because the Achilles is such a large tendon, it needs more blood and nutrients to recover. As result, Achilles tendonitis takes a long time to recover.
Shockwave therapy is ideal because it can naturally enhance blood flow to damaged tissue. A healthcare professional can target the Achilles tendon using a handheld device on with acoustic pressure waves. Because these pressure waves stimulate cells responsible for healing, there is no need for drugs or surgery.
Clinical Evidence
A randomized, controlled trial published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery compared shockwave therapy to eccentric loading for treating chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy.
Researchers selected 50 patients with chronic recalcitrant insertional Achilles tendinopathy who hadn’t responded to three months of treatment that included physiotherapy, local injections of an anesthetic and/or corticosteroids, and a prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
These patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated using eccentric loading and the second group received shockwave therapy. Researchers assessed for pain, function, and activity.
For all outcome measures, the shockwave group showed significantly greater results. After four months of treatment, 64% of the shockwave group had either completely recovered or were much improved, compared to only 28% in the eccentric loading group. Further, 18 of the 25 patients in the eccentric loading group opted to cross over to shockwave therapy after four months.
Integrate Shockwave Therapy for Achilles Tendonitis Into Your Practice
In addition to Achilles tendonitis, shockwave therapy can treat many other musculoskeletal disorders like plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff injuries, and more. Our technology and customer support help healthcare professionals become more competitive.
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