Shockwaves in Sports Medicine: A Research Overview for Physicians

Nowadays, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is increasingly becoming a well-established treatment option that’s used throughout a variety of medical disciplines. Many studies have reinforced the effectiveness and safety of both focused and radial ESWT, particularly for the treatment of musculoskeletal pathologies.

Such studies provide valuable insights to physicians who use or are considering using ESWT in their own practices. The complete compilation of research is documented in detail in the Level 10 Series of books, with each book focusing on a different medical specialty. 

Shockwaves in Sports Medicine. This overview can serve as a helpful precursor to give you a glimpse of what you’ll find in the complete Level 10 book. We’ve highlighted a few different sections in addition to providing a full listing of research conducted by well-respected, internationally-known medical experts. Highlights includes the following: 

ESWT in Tissue Regeneration: Skeletal Muscle as a New Target
By Angela Zissler

This research takes a deep dive into the role of ESWT in tissue regeneration. How does ESWT create pathways to healing? What are the anti-inflammatory effects? How do shockwaves act through mechanotransduction for improved tissue healing? This study also explores ideas including why ESWT modulates nitrous oxide and subsequent suppression of pro-inflammatory factors. 

Radial ESWT as a Treatment for Hamstring Muscle Injuries (HMI)
By Nikos Malliaropoulos, Bethany Griffith, Maria Meke, Heinz Lohrer

This study addresses many facets of hamstring muscle injury (HMI). It discusses the medical characterizations of HMIs and their correlation to different sports, along with the distinct types of HMIs. You’ll also learn about the various treatment options for HMIs, their clinical limitations, and the efficacy of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) as an alternative treatment modality. 

Patellar Tendinopathy and ESWT in Athletes
By Henk van der Worp, Mathijs van Ark

This research offers an explanation of the pathology of patellar tendinopathy, and discusses its clinical presentation that includes:

• Continuum model of tendinopathy that distinguishes three phases of tendinopathy
• An exploration of the three phases: reactive tendinopathy, tendon dysrepair and degenerative tendinopathy
• The application of ESWT in athletes with patellar tendinopathy

Plus, this Level 10 book covers in detail many additional studies including: 

• Acute Muscle Injuries and ESWT - A First Experience, by Jens Lundgren

• Radial ESWT Update  - New observations explain positive treatment results in sports medicine, by Pavel Novak and Rudolf M. Verdaasdonk

• Effectiveness of ESWT In Common Lower Limb Pathologies - A Critical Review, by Vasileios Korakakis

• ESWT for Achilles Tendinopathy in Athletes, by Karsten Knobloch

• Stress Fractures and ESWT in Athletes, by M. Cristina d’Agostino, Carlos Leal

• Focused ESWT for Patients with Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee - A Case Series, by Tanja Nauck, Heinz Lohrer

• ESWT Acupuncture to Enhance Athletic Performance, by Heinrich Everke  

The Level 10 book documents each of these studies and their findings. Sports physicians will also find deep insights on the current state-of-the-art of musculoskeletal ESWT applications, new possible applications in pilot studies, and recommendations for research and daily practice. As noted in the book, ongoing research is needed to address how treatment results can be further improved. 

Interested in the complete Level 10 book, Shockwaves in Sports Medicine? Just connect with us by filling out the order request to purchase your copy.

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