Shockwave Therapy Treatments | Shockwave Clinics In York
Active Care Chiropractic in York now offers shockwave therapy as part of our chiropractic treatment. Shockwave therapy treatments can be used to help you overcome injuries, reduce your pain, and help your body heal. If you’re struggling with persistent pain or if you’re an athlete who has recently experienced a sports injury, get in touch with Active Care Chiropractic today and see how our shockwave treatments can complement your other rehabilitation treatments as part of your chiropractic session.
What Is Extracorporeal Shock Therapy?
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment that is designed to promote your body’s natural healing response, helping you recover from injuries and reduce your pain. Extracorporeal means outside the body; the shockwave treatment creates sound waves that cause small amounts of microtrauma in your body, which triggers your body’s healing response. This makes it an ideal addition to your treatment if you have long standing tendon or fascia problems that have not responded well to other treatments or are taking a long time to heal.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Treatments Work?
Extracorporeal shock therapy works by using a handheld device that creates sound waves to penetrate your tissue with pinpoint precision. This then creates microtrauma in the body which can help to kickstart the body’s healing process, as well as increase blood flow to that area which can stimulate the release of growth factors and promote new tissue growth. This promotion of healing can also help to reduce the pain associated with the problem area and improve your mobility.
At Active Care Chiropractic, our shockwave treatments can be included in your normal chiropractic session, performed by chiropractor Tristan Prince DC – our shockwave specialist.
We are also pleased to offer red light therapy, which we recommend using alongside shockwave therapy. Red light therapy can accelerate the healing process taking place after the use of shockwave therapy. Full body, red light therapy is not conducted as part of a chiropractic session. Read more about how red light therapy works and its benefits here.
What Does Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Treat?
Shockwave therapy treatments are great for injuries especially those that have been accompanied by pain that won’t seem to go away. If you have problems with your tendons and fascia and you haven’t seen good results from other treatments, shockwave treatments could be a fantastic way to speed up your recovery if you’ve experienced an injury or you have stubborn pain. Here are some of the conditions that can be treated by extracorporeal shock wave therapy:
Achilles tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is when the tendon that connects the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone becomes injured. This can be caused by overuse of this tendon, for example; people who run a lot are more prone to Achilles tendonitis. Shockwave therapy is excellent for treating chronic tendon problems as it can help your body regenerate damaged tissue.
Plantar fasciitis
One of the leading causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis; this is where the plantar fascia (the band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes) becomes inflamed. Those who have this will often have pain when they walk. Shockwave therapy will direct the sound waves to the inflamed fascia which can break up scar tissue as well as reduce the inflammation.
Jumper‘s Knee
Patellar tendinitis also known as jumper’s knee is more common in people who play a sport and lead an active lifestyle. Naturally, this injury is inconvenient for athletes and active people as it causes pain at the front of the knee due to strain on the patellar tendon. This often leads to people having to take time out to rest and not play sports while they recover. Shockwave treatments can speed up the journey of ending this downtime by promoting healing in the tendon fibres as well as reducing your pain and improving your mobility.
Hamstring Injuries
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy treatments can also be beneficial for those with injuries to their hamstrings such as proximal hamstring tendinitis. This is where the hamstring tendon becomes inflamed and can cause a deep, lingering pain – especially when sitting or running. Shockwave therapy encourages the breakdown of damaged tissue and stimulates a healing response, making it ideal for long-term hamstring issues.
Golfer’s Elbow
Also known as medial epicondylitis; golfer’s elbow is where there’s pain on the inner side of your elbow which is caused by repetitive strain or overuse such as playing golf. Choosing shockwave therapy can help you recover from this injury since it can target the specific area directly, helping you heal and reduce inflammation.
Who Needs Shockwave Treatments?
If you’re wondering if shockwave therapy is right for you, our team at Active Care chiropractic can assess your condition and guide you towards the right treatment path for you. Typically, if you have problems with your tendons or fascia, shockwave therapy may be the way to go. If you have chronic pain or you’ve experienced soft tissue injuries whether that’s due to the sport you play or your day-to-day routine, you may see some great results from this treatment. We may advise shockwave therapy for you if:
– You’ve suffered from a tendon injury and it isn’t healing through rest or exercise.
– You’ve tried other chiropractic treatments like soft tissue massage but they are not working.
– You’ve got a condition like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, or jumper’s knee.
– You have persistent heel, elbow, hip, or hamstring pain.
– You want to avoid surgery or steroid injections.
– You’re looking for a targeted, non-invasive solution to speed up your recovery.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Benefits
There are many benefits of using shockwave therapy. If you’re experiencing pain in your tendons that just won’t go away and you don’t want to have to get surgery or take medication, shockwave treatments could prevent you from having to take those steps. Here’s some benefits of this technology:
Targeted Treatment
Our handheld shockwave device is perfect for targeting specific areas that need treatment. It creates controlled microtraumas that stimulate the body’s natural healing response and can lead to benefits like increased blood flow, cell regeneration and the breakdown of scar tissue.
Speeds Up Healing
The science behind shockwave therapy is to speed up recovery time by creating microtraumas with the sound waves. These small tears then encourage your body to kickstart its natural healing response; accelerating healing time.
Non-invasive Treatment
One great thing to keep in mind about shockwave therapy is that it’s a non-invasive treatment. This means no surgery and no medication. It creates a natural response in the body, so if you are thinking about surgery to treat your chronic pain, giving this a go first could mean you don’t need to go down that route.
Used By The NHS
Our shockwave devices are the same ones that are used by the NHS. This means that you can trust that this treatment is credible and feel confident that this technology is recognised by many other medical professionals.
For Shockwave Clinics – Choose Active Care Chiropractic
If you think seeing shockwave clinics would be beneficial for you then Active Care Chiropractic are here to help. We can offer shockwave therapy treatments in York as part of our chiropractic sessions if this is something we think that you need. Tristan is our shockwave therapy expert and we will refer you to him if this is the route best suited to you. Each session is usually between 10-15 minutes, and our machines are the same used by the NHS so if you are looking for effective treatment, then you can put your trust in us. Book your session with us today and see how you can benefit from shockwave treatments.
Shockwave Therapy FAQs
Is shockwave therapy painful?
Patients describe the feeling of small pulses against the skin, although this can vary from patient to patient. If you’re concerned about the discomfort, you can always speak to one of our chiropractors at Active Care.
How many shockwave sessions do I need?
The amount of sessions you need will be different from person to person. The best way to know is to book an appointment with us and we can assess your condition in person and arrange a treatment plan for you.
Is shockwave therapy safe?
Yes, shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment and our chiropractors are trained in using this technology.