HOW DOES SHOCKWAVE HELP TISSUE?
High energy waves, that can be created via different mechanisms, create a phenomenon referred to as mechanotransduction. In simple terms, it is the process of imparting brief, physical deformation to cells that lead to biochemical changes. These changes have the potential to positively impact pain and tissue repair. 7
In some instances, the negative pressure created during the tensile phase of a shockwave creates cavitation bubbles within cells. 8 If intense enough, it can lead to disruption of damaged cells which is why shockwave can be classified as a proinflammatory modality. Disruption of cells can lead to cell death (apoptosis) which triggers a low-level inflammatory response that benefits the process of removal and replacement of damaged tissue. This is another way that shockwave therapy can uniquely assist in treating chronic soft tissue problems.
Terminology
Names that refer to therapeutic shockwave are varied. This can create confusion when trying to investigate this technology. Common names include but are not limited to:
ESWT: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy FSW: Focused Shockwave EPAT: Extracorporeal Pulsed Activation Therapy
RPW: Radial Pressure Wave AWT: Acoustic Wave Therapy
The list seems to grow by the month as companies try to differentiate their products.
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