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Shockwave therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a pulsed electromagnetic therapy to promote fast pain relief. This therapy can be performed by a consultant or sports specialist.
What is shockwave therapy?
- Shockwave therapy is mechanical therapy used to help in the treatment of conditions such as chronic tendon and soft tissues conditions. These can include:
Achilles tendinopathy - hamstring tendinopathy
- plantar fasciitis
- calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder.
It’s thought to have effects pain nerve fibres, and the stimulation of tendon cells to help with tissue repair.
Need to know
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.
Our Shockwave therapy locations
Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH)
170 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7HA
The Princess Grace Hospital Outpatients
30 Devonshire Street London W1G 6PU
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place London W1U 5NY
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road, London SW1W 8RH
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street London SE1 9BS
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street London SE1 2PR
The Wellington Hospital Outpatients
15 - 17 Lodge Road London NW8 7JA
Chelsea Outpatients - 280 King's Road
280 King's Road London SW3 5AW
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place London NW8 9LE
Golders Green Outpatients
Golders Green Outpatients and Diagnostic Centre London NW11 9PY
Elstree Waterfront Outpatients
Beaufort House Elstree WD6 3BS
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.