Are shock waves effective in relieving tendonitis?

The tendinitis is a frequent injury among athletes. It is particularly common among bodybuilders, as this activity places considerable stress on the muscles and joints. joints. Fortunately, there are other options before considering surgical treatment. Let's take a look today at shock wavesa medical treatment used to relieve inflammatory areas.

What is a shock wave?

We have to go back to the early 1990s to find evidence of the first shockwave therapies. These were originally used to treat kidney stones, without causing any side effects.

Medical professionals soon discovered that shockwaves could also accelerate the process of tissue healingand thus heal painful inflammation.

But what does it actually mean?

A shockwave is simply a repetition of pulses, or acoustic waves, delivered to an area of the body that has been injured. 

Also known as ShockWave Therapy (SWT), this technique is most often applied by an experienced therapist. physiotherapist or a chiropractor. It requires special equipment, usually in the form of a gun.

L'shock wave device offers several settings, such as percussion frequency, pressure and number of pulses. This makes it possible to adapt to the patient's pathology and pain tolerance.

There are 2 main types of shock waves: 

• Focal shockwaves
• Radial shock waves

In the case of shock waves for tendonitis (or for muscle contractures), radials are used.

What conditions can be treated with shock waves?

Shockwaves are now widely used for treat tendonitis (or tendinopathy).

Think of the tendon as a cord connecting bones and tendons. muscles. When this cord is overstretched, degeneration or inflammation of the structure occurs. The causes can be manifold: repeated movements at work, over-intensive running, lack of warm-up during sports activities, etc.

This phenomenon painful called tendonitis.

Tendonitis can affect several parts of the body: 

• The shoulder, at the the rotator cuff
• Elbow (epicondylitis)
• The hip (called periarthritis)
• Hand and wrist
• The knee
• The back of the heel, in particular the Achilles tendon which connects the calf to the ankle (known as the calcaneal spur).
• The arch of the foot

In addition to being used to treat tendonitis, shockwaves are also applied when a patient undergoes a muscle injury (strains, tears, etc.), whether in the upper or lower limbs, or suffer from chronic joint pain.

The benefits of shock waves on tendonitis

Shockwave physiotherapy for tendonitis offers a number of advantages: 

• Pain reduction short-term
• Accelerated healing long-term
• Increase in collagen production

These benefits have been documented in numerous clinical trials, such as this 2008 study which focused on people suffering from Achilles tendinopathy.

Short-term pain relief

Patients suffering from tendonitis most often experience instant relief after a session of shockwave treatment.

Such a result is the fruit of an action on the nerves and of a increased endorphin productionalso known explicitly as the pleasure hormone. This effect lasts between 24 and 48 hours.

The shockwave also slows down the production of the substance P. Made up of 11 amino acids, this peptide, which belongs to the tachykinin family, is involved in the diffusion of pain in the nervous system. 

Accelerated long-term healing

Over the longer term (between 4 and 6 weeks), this process promotes healing by stimulating cellular activation and blood circulation.

Healing is then faster, which limits the period during which the treatment must be stopped. sport activities. Shockwaves also reduce the risk of surgery.

Increased collagen production

Another benefit of shockwaves is that they promote collagen production in the body. 

Collagen not only rebuilds tissue, it also makes it stronger. This reduces the risk of relapse or re-injury.

What are the disadvantages?

Is the shockwave painful?

No, shock waves are not painful. Of course, the sensation is not pleasant, ranging from a slight tingling sensation to more pronounced shocks, depending on the area treated.

This is one of the only drawbacks of shockwaves.

The noise of the device can be impressive, due to the repeated blows. But again, this does not cause unbearable pain. As soon as the session is over, the discomfort usually subsides.

What are the side effects of shock waves?

There are hardly anyside effects.

The appearance of redness or a slight hematoma on the area is a frequent phenomenon, but of course not a serious one. 

In rarer cases, a swelling may appear on the muscle or joint affected by the trauma.

Simply apply ice for a few minutes to absorb the hematoma or swelling.

In exceptional cases, some people may experience a migraine after the session.

In terms of contraindications, shockwaves are not recommended in cases of pregnancythe presence of a pacemaker or coagulation disorders.

How does a shockwave protocol work in a physiotherapist's office?

Shockwave treatment for hard tendonitis between 5 and 10 minutes.

It begins by locating the painful area. The physiotherapist then applies a gel to encourage the waves to pass through to the tissues, before applying the shockwaves.

In addition, the healthcare professional will suggest other treatments adapted to your injury and the stage of your disease. rehabilitation massage, muscle strengthening, gentle stretching, etc.

Allow between 3 and 6 sessions for full recovery, with about 1 week between each one. However, you'll notice a gradual improvement over time.

For athletes, the physiotherapist will guide you in the resume your physical activity. He'll give you the green light to resume full practice when he feels you're ready.

My opinion on shockwaves

As an athlete, I've already used shockwaves on several occasions to soothe muscle aches and joints, as you can see in the video below. In my personal experience, this is an effective treatment that has proved its worth over the last few years. And if you're concerned, I invite you to have a look at this article on how to treat tendonitis.