Scientific studies library

Rompe JD, Furia JP, Maffulli N
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2009;37:463-470

If the effectiveness of eccentric loading and extracorporeal shock wave therapy separately has been proven, this study aims at knowing if the combination of both these methods can improve results in patients suffering from midbody Achilles tendinopathy. 

Spacca G, Necozione S, Cacchio A.
Eura Medicorphys 2005; 41:17-25

This study aims at finding out if shock wave therapy does indeed help in relieving pain and recovering mobility in patients suffering from tennis elbow. 

Söller F.
In: Maier M, Gillesberger F: Abstracts 2003 zur Muskuloskelettalen Stosswellentherapie. Norderstedt 2003; 121-122

This study aims at demonstrating what are the short and medium-term results of shock wave therapy. (Study in German)

Krischnek O, Hopf C, Nate b, et al.
Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 1999; 62-66

This study shows the results of a shock wave treatment on patients suffering from chronic medial epicondylitis one year after the original treatment. 

Rompe JD, Segal NA, Cacchio A, et al.
Am J Sports Med 2009;37 1981-1990

This study compares three treatment methods for greater trochanteric pain syndrome with the hypothesis that the three of them are equivalent in terms of results after 4 months. 

Furia JP, Rompe JD, Maffulli N.
Am J Sports Med 2009;37:1806-1813

Shock wave therapy has proven to be effective in tendinopathies. Because greater trochanteric pain syndrome often stems from an underlying gluteal tendinopathy, the hypothesis is that ESWT is effective to treat greater trochanteric pain syndrome. 

Crupnik J.
Abstracts 12th International Congress of the International Society for Musculoskeletal Shockwave Therapy, Sorrento, Italy, 2009, 26-27

Treatment of patellar tendinopathy in combination with extracorporeal shock wave therapy with eccentric loading. 

Lohrer H, SchÖll J, Arentz S
Sportverl Sportschad 2002; 16: 108-114

"Achillodynia and patellar tip syndrome - results of the treatment of fully treated chronic cases with radial shock waves." (Study in German)

Rompe JD, Caccio A, Furia JP, et al.
Am J Sports Med 2010 Jan; 38(1):125-32. Epub 2009 Sep 23

This study aims at testing the effectiveness of shock wave therapy on medial tibial stress syndrome. 

Titov VV, Litvinenko A
Abstracts 10th International Congress of the International Society for Musculoskeletal Shockwave Therapy, Toronto, Canada, 2007, pp. 46-47

Engebretsen K, Grotle M, Bautz-Holter E, et al.
Brit Med J 2009; 339:b3360

Comparison of the recovery of patients suffering from shoulder pain with two different methods: extracorporeal shock wave therapy and supervised exercises. 

Magosch P, Lichtenberg S, Habermeyer P
Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 2003;  141 : 629-636

"Radial shock wave therapy of rotator cuff tendinosis calcarea - A prospective study." (Study in German)

Gremion G, Augros R, Gobelet C, et al.
2000

Effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder. (Study in French)

Bjordal JM, Lopes-Martins RAB, Iversen VVA

British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006;40:76-80.

Randomised, placebo controlled study to investigate in situ if low-level laser therapy has an anti-inflammatory effect on activated tendinitis of the human Achilles tendon.
 

Shuji Mezawa, Koichi Iwata, Kimisato Naito, Hiroyuki Kamogawa
Archives of Oral Biology, Volume 33, Issue 9, 1988,pages 693-694

The possible analgesic effect of soft-laser irradiation on heat nociceptors in the cat tongue

Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Schmitz
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Research Unit, Chair of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a well-investigated and commonly used treatment modality in remedying a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. However, a limitation of ESWT is its potential risk for painfulness at higher, clinically relevant energy flux densities (EFDs), which may limit its applicability and resultingly, its effectiveness. 
E.M.S. is combatting this limitation with the Guided DolorClast® Therapy protocol, a comprehensively holistic approach towards musculoskeletal pain therapy. GDT includes a 6-step guidance program based on combined therapies, including the DolorClast® High Power Laser and the DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves devices. The following article provides clinical evidence for pursuit of this approach.

Ya-Fei ZHANG, MD, Yang LIU, MD, Shao-Wen CHOU, MD and Hao WENG, PhD
From the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China

Xuejiao Guo¹, Lin Li1,², Zhe Yan¹, Yunze Li¹, Zhiyou Peng¹, Yixin Yang¹, Yanfeng Zhang¹, Christoph Schmitz³, Zhiying Feng¹
_{1Department of Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Yuyao People Hospital of Zhejiang, Ningbo, China; 3Extracorporeal Shock Wave Research Unit, Chair of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany}

Successful treatment of a chronic nonspecific low back pain is a challenge. Should we use manual therapy? Drugs? How about radial extracorporeal shockwaves? In a recent study, Guo et al. tried to find out whether rESWT is more efficient in the management of chronic low back pain than a “drugs only” approach, using an NSAID and a skeletal muscle relaxant. They also searched for evidence if a combination of rESWT with  NSAIDs and skeletal muscle relaxants can represent a superior treatment option, as anecdotal evidence from physicians from Europe and Latin America is pointing at. What was the conclusion and how it may impact your everyday practice? Keep reading and find out.

James P.M. Morgan et al. 
Germany

Application of the multimodal therapy approach, including a protocol with almost daily radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) led to faster recovery time as compared with previously published studies!

Dr. med. Ralf Doyscher, Hendrik Schreiber

Chronic groin complaints in professional football players should definitely be considered as one of the most alarming diagnosis, resulting in significant career downtimes or even its possible end. In general, the etiology of inguinal complaints varies, often overlapping with several underlying causes, therefore it should always be carefully diagnosed and treated, in terms of both structure and function. In most cases, the adductor-related groin pain is a multifactorial issue with an intricate diagnosis, followed by prolonged therapy.

Rompe, Jan D et al. “Eccentric loading compared with shock wave treatment for chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy. A randomized, controlled trial.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume vol. 90,1 (2008): 52-61.

Sports involving running and frequent jumping are associated with a considerable risk of Achilles tendon injuries. Their management can be operative and nonoperative. The nonoperative approach includes eccentric loading or shock wave therapy. Data concerning the most effective treatment and therapeutic decision-making process is not comprehensive and remains to be inconclusive. However, a randomized controlled trial described below focuses on a specific type of Achilles tendinopathy (chronic and insertional) and adds vital evidence to the unresolved issue. It compares the efficacy of eccentric loading and repetitive, low-energy shock wave therapy in a group of patients suffering from the condition.

Rompe JD, Furia J, Maffulli N. Eccentric loading versus eccentric loading plus shock-wave treatment for midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Sports Med. 2009 Mar;37(3):463-70.

Combined treatment of eccentric loading and repetitive low-energy shock-wave treatment with the use of the DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves device is superior to eccentric loading alone.

RSWT® combined with physical therapy enables better and faster pain reduction, grip strength increase, functional improvement and tendon tear healing, than physical therapy alone.

Rompe JD, Furia JP, Maffulli N
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2008;90:52-61

Two methods, eccentric loading and shock wave therapy, that both have been proven effective in patients with midsubstance Achilles tendinopathy, are now compared via a controlled trial in patients with insertional Achilles tendinopathy. 

Rompe JD, Nafe B, Furia JP, Maffulli N
Am J Sports Med 2007;35:374-383

A series of controlled trials analyze the functioning of different methods in the handling of chronic tendinopathy of the main body of tendo Achillis.

Ibrahim M, Donatelli R, Schmitz C, et al.
Foot & Ankle Int. 2010 May; 31 (5):391-97 20460065

Radial shock wave therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective method to treat chronic plantar fasciopathy in three sessions. This study aims at showing that two sessions are already sufficient to treat this pathology with ESWT. 

Gerdesmeyer L, Frey C, Vester J, et al.
Am J Sports Med 2008;36:2100-2109

Chronic plantar fasciopathy can be treated efficiently with radial shock wave therapy, which can be administered to outpatients without having to reccur to anesthesia. This randomized controlled trial aims at demonstrating therapeutic superiority vs. placebo.