Football, also known as soccer here in the US, features elite athletes who can be sidelined by acute muscle injuries at any moment. The universal desire to return to play faster is common among elite athletes, and ESWT facilitates accelerated healing and return to activity.
In the study, scientists reviewed lay-off times obtained by treating elite football players for acute muscle injuries with a multimodal therapy regimen. This protocol featured almost daily treatment with radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy and was further supported with complementary therapies. For a thorough exploration, read the study titled "Return to Play After Treating Acute Muscle Injuries in Elite Football Players with Radial Extracorporeal Wave Therapy."
Particularly among elite athletes, muscle injuries are a common occurrence. Classifying the type of muscle injury is a standard practice among medical professionals. Indirect muscle injuries include two types, functional and ultrastructural muscle disorders.
When it comes to structural muscle injuries, there is a high incidence rate which may account for more than half of all sports injuries.
Trauma from direct impact or external force results in direct muscle injuries.
Researchers performed a retrospective analysis of treatments and lay-off times of all muscle injuries suffered by the participants (players of an elite football team). Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants.
All athletes in the study were male, aged 18 -35 years old. Details collected included:
The player diagnosis was based on clinical examination, functional testing, and comparison with the non-injured limb, and patient pain was assessed and recorded using VAS (Visual Analog Scale).
All injured players with acute muscle injuries were treated with a multimodal therapy customized to the patient's condition and included Radial Pressure WaveWave Therapy in 19 of the 20 cases. The additional multimodal treatments utilized in the study included cryotherapy, compression, manual therapy, resistance/weight-training, and an advanced physical therapy exercise program.
The decision to utilize rESWT protocols in the patient treatment plan was influenced by previous promising clinical experiences in a study and positive player information.
In summary, 20 acute muscle injuries were diagnosed and treated in a recent football season. Among the professional footballers treated, here are the conditions diagnosed:
Compared with previous studies' data, lay-off times were shortened by as much as 58%, and no adverse reactions were observed or reported.
In conclusion, the multimodal approach with ESWT proved to be a safe, favorable, and effective treatment protocol for 1a and 2b muscle injuries. Such treatment may also benefit elite football players by preventing more severe structural muscle injuries.
Whether you treat elite athletes, armchair quarterbacks, or active seniors, everyone wants to get back in action quickly and eradicate nagging pain once and for all. Providing evidence-based, non-invasive treatment options, including shockwave, can be a real game-changer. Today patients seek regenerative therapies by name, and providing them with the treatment options they seek improves patient outcomes and accelerates practice growth.
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