Shockwave Therapy Calgary Northeast (NE)

What is “Shockwave Therapy”?

Shockwave is a non-invasive therapy which originated in the 1960's. It was used to transmit acoustic waves into the body to disintegrate kidney stones and gallstones without damaging any tissue in between the applicator and the stones. Shockwaves are acoustic pulses. In the medical field the shockwaves propagate through the body using ultrasound gel as a medium.

How the Acoustic Wave is Created Using Radial Shockwave

The compressed air causes the projectile inside the applicator to collide repeatedly with the transmitter (part of the applicator which makes contact with the patient). This results in the transmitter creating an acoustic wave which is then transmitted to the patient.

Analgesic Effect Elimination of Pain

Decrease of muscle tension, inhibition of spasms

Hyperaemia is one of the basic effects of shockwave therapy in the body. It provides better energy supply to hypertonic muscles and their ligamentous structures. Furthermore, it causes the lessening of pathological interactions between actin and myosin. This leads to significant reduction of muscle tension.

Acceleration of Healing

Increase of collagen production

The production of a sufficient amount of collagen is a necessary precondition for the repair processes to the damaged myoskeletal and ligamentous structures.

Improved metabolism and microcirculation

The SWT technology accelerates removal of nociceptive metabolites, increases oxygenation and supplies the damaged tissue with a source of energy. It supports removal of histamine & lactic acid.

New blood vessel formation

New blood vessel formation is caused by SWT through creating capillary microruptures in tendon and bone, thus triggering the repair process.

Mobility Restoration

Dissolving of calcified fibroblasts

Dissolving of calcified fibroblasts The SWT technology dissolves calcified fibroblasts and starts subsequent biochemical decalcification of primary calcaria or secondary symptoms of arthrosis.

Who We Do Not Do Shockwave On

Blood disorders, coagulation problems or the use of anticoagulants
Blood thinning medications (Warfarinization)
Polypus in the area of treatment
Pregnancy
Thrombosis
Tumor diseases
Polyneuropathy
Acute inflammation
Erectile dysfunction
Application in proximity to bone growth zone in children
Therapy using local corticosteroid application in therapy area
Inapplicable on areas of the body and organs with possible gas content
Inapplicable on areas in proximity to large nerve bundles, blood vessels, the spinal cord and the head

Who is “Shockwave Therapy” for?

Shockwave is for chronic conditions that have existed for 3 months or more. We at Nose Creek Physiotherapy do not use Shockwave for new/acute injuries that are less than 12 weeks old.

There are 3 target tissues: Bone, tendon, and muscle:

Bone-Related Disorders: acromioclavicular joints, Superficial tendons and their attachments, Calcification of tendons in the Rotator Cuff, + Heel spurs on Calcaneus bone where your Plantar Fascia attaches.

Superficial Small muscles: (top Layer) forearm, lower leg, rotator cuff, upper trapezius, + levator scapulae muscle, soft tissue repair.

Large and Deep Muscles: Gluteals, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, latissimus dorsi, pectorals, + spinal muscles.

Other Health Benefits of Shockwave Therapy In Northeast Calgary NE

Elbow pain, joint pain, knee pain, neck pain, ankle pain or any other type of chronic pains.
Improve blood circulation for the restoration of health.
Improves muscle balance, muscle spasm and enhance tissue regeneration.
Muscular stiffness
Breaking scar tissue build-up and calcium deposits (calcific tendonitis).
Tennis elbow
Achilles Tendinopathy

Our team has lots of experience both professionally and personally with chronic tendinopathy, calcification of tendons, moderate to severe muscle strains/tears, and osteoarthritic joint pathology which shockwaves can help.

As a team we have all had some or all of these injuries and conditions listed above, and that gives us a distinct clinical advantage due to our extensive experience with this injuries and conditions.

Most Common Injuries/Conditions to Treat Successfully With Shockwave Therapy:

Foot: Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendonosis
Knee: Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome, Infrapatellar tendonosis.
Shoulder: Calcification of tendons in the Rotator Cuff
Elbow: Lateral and medial epicondylitis (Tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow)
Muscles: Chronic traumatic muscle tears like whiplash with tight muscles and loss in range of motion

Important Info if You're Considering Shockwave Therapy in Northeast Calgary:

This is not a pain relieving modality. This is an aggressive modality that may make you feel pain.
Our goal is to increase their functional ROM, strength, and later pain relief will come.
Important to mobilize the tissue post treatment with either Manual Therapy +/or rehabilitation injury specific stretches and exercises.
We do not promise pain relief – the effect is days later.
Healing process will occur between shockwave sessions
You may wake up with bruises the next day. We do not treat if the bruise has not resolved, leave you for one more week.

Frequency, Duration, and What to Expect:

Shockwave can only be done once per week.
Duration – depends on the severity and chronicity of the injury, but the average # of treatments is 6.
You will experience an ache during treatment, but the Physiotherapist will work with you on adjusting the intensity to your level of comfort. Generally, we start low and increase the intensity on each round of treatments.
A “round” is the number of shocks to the target tissue. This number is dictated by the 3 groups we talked about earlier. The larger the tissue the more shocks that will be required to stimulate the tissue to get the clinical response we are looking for.
You will hear a soft ticking noise while the machine is on. That is the noise produced from the compressions coming out of the head of the applicator on the shockwave unit.

What is the Cost of Shockwave Therapy?

Cost: we do not charge more for the shockwave treatments, they are included in our regular private fee. Most of our clients have extended health benefits that we can direct bill. Some will have a co-pay, some will have full coverage, it really depends on your individual plan.

If you have any other questions about shockwave, please give us a call today at (587) 205-5230 to arrange a FREE telephone consultation or come in for a FREE Discovery visit to talk to one of our Physiotherapist to see, if shockwave is an appropriate treatment strategy for you.

Take care, Talk soon.

Your Nose Creek Physiotherapy team.

Talk to a Physio on the PhoneClick Here »

Apply for a FREE Discovery SessionClick Here »

"What People Are Saying About Shockwave Therapy..."

Brenda, late 50's from Calgary - Treated for Shoulder Pain