Shockwave therapy

You will likely have gone through a diagnostic process to determine the nature of your condition (such as an MRI or an ultrasound scan), and a course of shockwave therapy will have been advised. The treatment will typically take around ten to fifteen minutes, and you may be asked to attended on a few occasions to repeat the treatment – three or more sessions are usually advised. A gel will be applied to the area which is going to be treated.The treatment is delivered directly to the uncomfortable area using a pneumatic device (this can be noisy), and whilst it’s non-invasive, it may be a little uncomfortable (like a hard massage).

You’ll be asked to lay on a couch for the treatment, and you’ll need to expose the area to be treated, so attended in loose clothing or sports gear is a good idea. There is no need to fast or take any precautions before attending for the treatment.

The full effects of shockwave treatment take several weeks to occur, so it’s not an instant fix, although many patients will experience an anesthetic-like feeling in the area for a few hours after the treatment. It’s important that you also follow a course of rehabilitation to correct any underlying biomechanical issues. Physiotherapy or osteopathy may be advised.