Radial Shockwave Edmonton, St. Albert, Spruce Grove & Sherwood Park

A radial shockwave is a low to medium energy shockwave that is pneumatically generated through the acceleration of a projectile within the hand-piece of our Swiss Dolorclast device. When the projectile strikes the applicator a shockwave is generated. This shockwave enters the tissue, spreading radially, and is transmitted through a water soluble gel on the skin’s surface. Unlike extracorporeal shockwaves, radial shockwaves have their focal point at the tip of the applicator and are transmitted to the target zone in a broad energy pattern. This allows us to apply a considerable total level of energy using multiple pulses from the applicator without the need for anesthesia or ultrasound/radiography to pinpoint the location of the diseased tissue/calcification.

The exact mechanism of shockwave therapy remains unknown. Based on results from studies performed by Dr. Ching-Jen Wang, it appears that the radial shockwaves’ physical energy causes a biological response with increased metabolic activity around the site of the tissue damage and pain. In contrast to lithotripsy in which the shockwaves disintegrate the renal stones, radial shockwaves do not destroy tissue, rather they microscopically cause interstitial and extracellular responses which induce a healing effect.

Specifically, the shockwaves were shown to stimulate the early expression of angiogenesis related growth factors including eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase), VEGF (vessel endothelial growth factor) and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), which then induces the ingrowth of neovascularization. This improves blood supply and increases cell proliferation and eventual tissue regeneration to repair the tendon or bone tissues.

The treatment also induces an analgesic effect. This mechanism is theorized to occur as a result of an initial rise in concentration of substance P in the zone of the shockwave with a subsequent prolonged reduction in its total concentration. This may explain the initial pain response followed by prolonged analgesia.

Scar tissue is formed as part of the normal healing process. It inevitably forms whenever our body’s tissue is damaged. Most people understand scars that form as a result of a cut, as they are easy to see, but scar also forms internally when we injure our muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Unfortunately, scar tissue is not as functional as the tissue that it replaces. Normal tissue in the body has a consistent form and our healthy skeletal muscle tissue is formed of collagen that sits in a striated fashion (lined up parallel to one another). It allows for normal contraction and flexibility.

When scar tissue forms after injury, our body produces collagen excessively. The initial production of granulation is necessary to provide tensile strength to the injury site. In certain circumstances, the granulation leads to contraction of the scar and to poor structural organisation of the components of regenerating muscle and scar tissue. This leads to a lack of flexibility in the tissue and often this poor structural organization can cause pain and dysfunction.

We like to use a paint brush as an example. If we take the correct steps to store the brush after use, we can pull out the brush and use it easily for our next project. The brush starts out as a soft, supple parallel group of bristles that can bend easily in many directions. If we simply let the bristles dry, they start to bind to one another and the brush loses its flexibility and function. The brush cracks and bends irregularly. At this point more care is required to rehabilitate the brush and get it back to work. Hence early diagnosis and treatment of the brush is a necessity.

It is important to know that all injured tissue will develop scarring to some extent. When the scarring prevents normal function of the affected tissue or joint, pain or restricted function exists. This is why we encourage all of our patients to have their injuries assessed, to receive advice in the early stages of injury and to have a proper treatment regime started.

Nope