Clinical Pilates
Clinical Pilates
Shockwave Therapy
OTHER TREATMENTS AT COTSWOLD PHYSIOTHERAPY
Fast and effective shockwave therapy treatment
Shockwave therapy is an effective, non-invasive treatment of injured soft tissues, specifically tendon and plantarfascia when an injury reaches a chronic non-healing state. A safe alternative to surgery or steroid and other treatment injections, shockwave therapy is clinically proven to stimulate metabolic reactions. It activates the healing process by provoking an acute phase of healing and by stimulating enzymes involved in reducing pain, resulting in a high rate of success in treating these difficult to treat, often chronic and very painful injuries.
The application of shock waves, known as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), is an evidence-based, effective treatment for plantarfascitis and most tendon conditions including achilles, hamstring, patellar, gluteal and tennis elbow tendinopathies.
How shockwave therapy can work for you
The therapy targets your injured tissue with specially calibrated shockwaves which create tiny cavitation bubbles in the tissue which then burst and stimulate blood flow, stem cell activity and pain reducing enzymes in the treated area. The application of shockwaves gives pain relief after treatment as well as stimulating long-term tissue normalisation and regeneration.
Patients receiving shockwave therapy can expect:
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A reduction of pain felt by nerve fibres;
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An increase of blood circulation in surrounding soft tissues;
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Stimulation of the healing process triggered by stem cell activation.
Shockwave therapy treatment is typically three sessions at Cotswold Physiotherapy. Each session is a week apart alongside advice on management and rehabilitation exercises.
Shockwave therapy treatment at Cotswold Physiotherapy
As experienced Chartered physiotherapists we are approved providers of shockwave therapy for the treatment of common musculo-skeletal conditions. A full clinical assessment of your condition is necessary to identify whether shockwave therapy is an appropriate intervention. If appropriate, a course of shockwave therapy is typically three sessions, each a week apart alongside advice on management and rehabilitation exercises.
You will not require any sedation or anaesthetic during any part of the therapy treatment and each session will be completed at our Witney physiotherapy clinic.
We initially apply a contact gel to the area of pain. The shockwave therapy treatment head is then applied onto and moved over the affected area. Shockwaves are then transmitted through the skin into the injured tissue. These effect of these shockwaves is to provoke your body to respond to this controlled trauma by increasing blood circulation and triggering stem cell activation and enzyme production in the injured tissue which promotes and accelerates healing and reduces pain.
We have the highest quality EMS Swiss Dolorclast Master shockwave machine at Cotswold Physiotherapy. This is a very high specification machine that much of the scientific evidence supporting shockwave therapy is based on. The machine is pre-calibrated to treat all the conditions that shockwave therapy is appropriate for and can also be manually adjusted for increased comfort during treatment.
After shockwave therapy many people experience an immediate improvement in symptoms with pain reduction and increased movement in the affected area. It is important to rest the injured area, however, for 24 hours before and after treatment and then to continue with your prescribed rehabilitation exercises. Best results may take six to ten weeks from the final treatment with continuing exercises to be achieved.
What is shockwave therapy suitable for?
Shockwave Therapy is one of the few treatments that can work when an injury reaches a chronic non-healing state. Appropriate conditions for shockwave therapy include plantar fascitis, achilles, hamstring, patellar, gluteal and tennis elbow tendinopathies. There is an evidence base for shockwave treatment being successful in treatment of all these conditions.
Plantar Fasciitis -
Treatment for foot pain
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous tissue of the sole of the foot and its primary symptom is pain in the heel and over the bottom of the foot. This condition may be caused by over-use such as an increase in running and walking or even standing for long periods. You may even experience plantar fasciitis after wearing shoes that do not support your foot arch or cushion your feet correctly. Shockwave therapy is an effective and non-invasive treatment for this painful, difficult to treat condition.
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Patellar Tendinopathy -
Treatment for knee pain
Patellar tendinopathy is an injury to the tendon connecting your kneecap (patella) to your shin bone. Also known as 'jumper's knee', it causes pain in the front of the knee and is most common in athletes whose sports activity involves frequent jumping. Patellar tendinopathy can also, however, affect people who don't participate in jumping sports. Shockwave therapy can successfully treat patellar tendinopathy by stimulating the body’s natural healing process in conjunction with rehabilitation exercises to improve the tendon’s ability to tolerate load.
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Achilles Tendinopathy -
Treatment for ankle pain
Achilles tendinopathy is often the result of repetitive activity and increase in loading activity such as running or walking faster and on steeper ground. Pain and often swelling and thickening of the tissue on the back of the heel and calf may be experienced. Shockwave therapy and exercises to increase the loading tolerance of the achilles tendon can give excellent results in reduction of pain and return to normal activity.
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Gluteal Tendinopathy -
Treatment for hip pain
Gluteal tendinopathy presents as often severe pain in the side of the hip. The tendons are the fibres that connect the gluteal muscles to the hip bone. Shockwave therapy treatment for gluteal tendinopathy in association with exercises to help the tendon tolerate load with less pain can result in return to normal pain-free activity..
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Shoulder Tendinopathy -
Treatment for shoulder pain
Shoulder tendinopathy is damage to the shoulder tendons which can cause severe pain in the neck, arm or shoulder, restrict range of movement and make lifting or lying on the arm painful. Damage to the tendons can occur due to overloading, repetitive use or injury, or can appear to be spontaneous and may be linked to postural issues or poor movement patterns. An effective non-surgical and non-invasive treatment for this is rehabilitation exercise and shockwave therapy.
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Hamstring Tendinopathies -
Treatment for leg pain
Hamstring Tendinopathy occurs when the soft tissues that connect the muscles of the back of the thigh to the pelvis or lower legs become damaged. Hamstring tendinopathies may often become chronic and re-occur. Identifying the triggers for the pain can help with managing the condition. Shockwave therapy can typically resolve the symptoms with a prescribed course of 3 sessions in conjunction with a personalised programme of rehabilitation exercises.
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Tennis or Golfers Elbow Tendinopathy - Treatment for elbow pain
Tennis elbow is a common injury sometimes caused by the repeated strain of gripping or of twisting the hand or wrist. Symptoms are tenderness and pain on the outside of the elbow increased by gripping or lifting objects. Golfers elbow affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow. Surgery is not a common treatment for tennis elbow, but injection therapy is not uncommon for chronic cases. Rehabilitation exercises and shockwave therapy are proven to be effective in the treatment of symptoms for these conditions, stimulating blood flow, cell regeneration and healing in the tendon tissue, decreasing pain and restoring normal movement and function. Shockwave is safe, well-tolerated and holds negligible risk of side effects.
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Treatment with an excellent cost to effectiveness ratio
For the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions such as tendinopathy and plantarfascitis, shockwave therapy has proven to be highly effective. As an alternative to invasive surgery or injection therapy and with a strong evidence base which has the approval for use by NICE (The National Institute for Clinical Excellence), the treatment is also comparably very cost effective. Steroid, injection therapy and surgery may help some of these conditions but they can also be expensive, incur potentially long waiting times, have some risks and potential side effects and are without guaranteed results. No treatment can guarantee 100% effectiveness, but with its strong clinical evidence-base, at just £90/session with typically 3-4 sessions required to achieve positive outcomes, shockwave therapy is an obvious treatment choice with an excellent cost to effectiveness ratio.
When is shockwave therapy not appropriate?
The initial assessment will identify whether your injury or condition is appropriate for shockwave therapy treatment. Despite its effectiveness for the treatment of many musculoskeletal conditions we do not advise it is used:
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if there is a circulation or nerve disorder;
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if there are signs of infection;
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on affected areas where there is a bone condition;
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if there are any open wounds;
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during pregnancy;
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if blood-thinning medications are being used;
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if there are severe circulatory disorders;
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for children.
Shockwave therapy in Witney
Our physiotherapy clinic in Witney, Oxfordshire is close to the centre of the town and is easily accessible by car and by foot. If you're located in Witney or surrounding towns and villages, you have easy access to this highly effective and beneficial therapy treatment as well as all our physiotherapy services. You're also very welcome if you're located further afield, and we regularly provide Shockwave therapy for patients from Oxford, Bicester, Cirencester and the Cotswolds.
We are one of the first physiotherapy practices in Oxfordshire to offer shockwave therapy treatment and are proud of the positive outcomes we have achieved with our patients. We shall always include combining shockwave therapy treatments with personalised rehabilitation exercises for effective long term results.
Our Witney physiotherapy clinic is able to offer you shockwave therapy with or without a medical professional referral from your doctor or medical consultant. Even if you arrive with the most detailed documentation, scans and results, our experienced physiotherapists will need to fully assess the extent of your injury prior to commencing a course of shockwave therapy treatment along with an individualised exercise programme.