Shockwave Therapy in Cheltenham
Relieve pain and recover quicker with shockwave therapy
Painful sports injuries or pain caused by soft tissue or bone problems can seriously affect your ability to do daily activities, they can be difficult to manage and they can cause a great deal of stress and upset.
Shockwave therapy can target specific pain in the bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It’s a non-invasive treatment that can be easily delivered and gives significant or total relief of pain in the vast majority of patients.
When you have shockwave treatment, we will use a hand held device connected to a machine that turns compressed air into sound waves. We will apply ultrasound gel to the skin beforehand to help transmit the shockwaves through the skin, and then apply some light pressure to move the device over the area that requires treatment.
What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave therapy isn’t new, it was originally used to treat kidney stones in the late 1990s, but its use in the treatment of painful joints and muscles is a relatively recent development.
Shockwave therapy involves applying a probe directly onto the skin that covers the affected area, and it uses low energy sound waves, or acoustic waves to provide pain relief. It’s non-invasive, making it a safe and effective alternative to more invasive treatments. The shockwaves work by increasing blood flow to the injured area.
The treatment stimulates microtrauma and inflammation in the affected area being treated, which increases blood circulation in the affected area and initiates a healing response in the body. Shockwaves can break down injured tissues and calcifications and can provide a temporary analgesic effect on the nerves which provides immediate pain relief.
Shockwave therapy is recognised by the
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a non-invasive treatment for soft tissue injury that speeds up recovery and helps with acute or chronic pain. It is most effective when combined with a progressive rehabilitation program to gradually strengthen the local and supporting muscle groups.
Shockwave therapy effectiveness is between 80% to 90%, depending on the area treated, this is because of its application system which can be easily targeted to the root of the injury. The treatment does not hurt much and does not hinder the patient’s daily activities and eliminates the need for steroid injections.
It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or combined with a progressive exercise program to gradually strengthen the local and supporting muscle groups. It's a brilliant treatment to use when other treatments options have failed.
What does it treat
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous tissue (plantar fascia) along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes. One concerning aspect of surgical treatment of plantar fasciitis is that there are potentially serious complications such as nerve injury, infection, and flat feet. However, with shockwave treatment for plantar fasciitis few complications are experienced and there is significant evidence supporting its use.
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendinopathy is one of the most common foot problems we see and it's not surprising when you consider the large load placed on your achilles tendon every time you walk or run. You may get pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling around your heel. It’s a common injury, especially if you’re very active or do lots of sports. There are plenty of studies that show that shockwave treatment for achilles tendonitis is a very effective option.
Tennis Elbow (Tendonosis)
Tennis elbow is a swelling or tearing of the tendons that bend your wrist backward away from your palm. It's a tendonosis injury caused by repetitive motion of the forearm muscles, which attach to the outside of your elbow. Tendinosis and tendonitis are similar but tendonitis is a abrupt short-term condition from a direct injury to the tendon and usually involves swelling, where as tendinosis is caused by long term overuse and does not involve swelling.
Shockwave treatment for tennis elbow, like other tendinopathies such as patella tendinopathy, gluteal tendinopathy, shoulder tendinopathy and hamstring tendinopathy, has been proven to be highly effective.
Hip Flexor
The hip flexors are a group of muscles toward the front of the hip. They help you move or flex your leg and knee up toward your body. A hip flexor strain occurs when one or more of the hip flexor muscles becomes stretched or torn. They are easily susceptible to injury when they are engaged suddenly without a proper warm-up. They can also be injured through repeated strenuous activity, or even too much inactivity. Focused shockwave treatment is used to regenerate damaged tendons and muscles and accelerate healing.
Benefits of shockwave therapy
Shockwave therapy has extensive benefits.
- It can help reduce pain caused by a variety of soft tissue injuries, including plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow and achilles tendonitis. The sound waves used in shockwave therapy help to stimulate blood flow and promote the release of natural painkillers in the body.
- By increasing blood flow to the affected area, the energy waves can promote the growth of new blood vessels and tissue. This can speed up healing and reduce the risk of complications.
- It can be an effective non-surgical treatment for chronic conditions such as plantar fasciitis, golfers knee and achilles tendonitis. These conditions can be difficult to treat, and traditional treatments such as medication or surgery may not be effective.
- Shockwave therapy is a quick treatment that typically takes around 15-20 minutes per session, you will usually require 3 sessions but if the pain is still troubling you then you may require another 3 sessions. The short time needed for each session makes it easy to fit around other commitments.
- Unlike surgery or other invasive treatments, shockwave therapy requires no downtime. You can return to your normal activities immediately after treatment, making it a great option for those who are keen to keep active during recovery.
- Shockwave therapy is a safe and effective treatment with no known side effects. Unlike medication or surgery, it does not carry the risk of complications or adverse reactions.
Book now
No treatment can guarantee 100% effectiveness, but with its strong clinical evidence-base, at just £60/session with typically 4 sessions required to achieve positive outcomes, shockwave therapy is an obvious treatment choice with an excellent cost to effectiveness ratio.
We understand that some people may want to find out a bit more about the cost before they book an appointment at our physiotherapy clinic. Our unique save as you recover packages can save you up to 20% on the cost of a single session.
For most injuries our chartered physio can usually treat you within 4 to 8 sessions.
Insured
We can either work directly with your insurance company or provide receipts for patients who use cash based plans so you can reclaim your treatment costs.
Not Covered by Insurance
You can book an appointment in our local physiotherapy clinic in Cheltenham on a self referral basis, no need to see your GP.
Why Choose Us
We offer shockwave therapy as a stand-alone treatment or integrated into broader treatment plans. Our expert physiotherapists will work with you to tailor your care plan, based on your medical history, current condition and recovery goals.
At our Cheltenham shockwave therapy clinic you’ll receive the best possible care and achieve the best possible outcomes.