FOCUSED VERSUS RADIAL SHOCKWAVE
Focused Shockwave (FSW) impulse and penetration
Radial Shockwave (RSW) impulse and penetration
Clearly the most notable difference is the impulse they create. FSW devices create a ‘true’ shockwave. RSW create what has been termed as a Radial Pressure Wave (RPW). Hence why you will see this term used for RSW along with others including Extracorporeal Activation Therapy (EPAT). At the time of its conception in 1998, RSW was marketed as Radial Shockwave and it is still marketed this way today. Comparative research studies between the FSW and RSW for lower limb tendinopathies on the whole shows no significant difference in outcomes. This is with the exception of insertional tendinopathies, where FSW has been shown to be more effective. So apart from this, why choose FSW, as it is more expensive? For therapists the additional cost is warranted if they are seeing bone pathologies, calcific deposits, deep structures or treating men’s health issues. There are three ways to generate a focused shockwave. The two most widely used in clinics are electromagnetic and Piezoelectric. Both transmit the shockwave energy over a large area of the skin and the energy is then cumulated to a focal point with in the tissue. This means that the energy transmission is acceptable to most patients. With electromagnetic generation the focal point is around 6cm deep with a therapeutic effect down to 12cm. To treat more superficial tissue than this the focal point is raised by stand offs that are fitted to the handpiece. The energy of focused shockwaves is measured in mJ/mm 2 and is referred to as the Energy Flux Density (EFD).
15-45mm focal zone
0-30mm focal zone
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