White Hart Clinic

What is shockwave?

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a treatment for tendon pain (tendinopathy) that can help to accelerate the healing rates in most therapy resistant tendinopathies, with good effect. It is a modern and effective treatment option for different orthopedic issues including Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy as well as chronic hip, knee, shoulder and elbow pain.

The term shockwave refers to mechanical pressure pulses that expand as a wave in the body.

Shockwave is a non-surgical, non-invasive form of treatment with strong support for its effectiveness from a large body of research and clinical trials.

How does it work?

The main aims of the treatment are to de-sensitise nerve endings, which will commonly give an immediate reduction on pain symptoms; and more importantly, the shockwaves cause controlled micro-trauma to the tissues which will activate the body’s natural healing response. In doing so, the body can heal any soft tissue problems in that immediate area.

Shockwave therapy is simple and easy to carry out. Your physiotherapist will apply a small amount of gel to the site of injury, which will aid in penetrating the area, and then the shock wave is applied by slightly pushing a small, hand-held device onto the skin. Many report the treatment as painless, however some people may find the treatment mildly uncomfortable. Your therapist will discuss with you the proposed plan to achieve best possible outcomes however, can tailor the settings as required throughout treatment to keep it as comfortable as possible.

Our specialist clinician will first carry out a full 1 hour assessment and prescribe shockwave therapy alongside rehab exercises and other treatment modalities to ensure the best possible outcome for your injury. Most injuries or painful conditions take around 3 shockwave treatments.

What does it cost?

1 x 30 minute follow up session: £115

Package offer – 3 x 30 minute follow up sessions: £315

Treatment is always combined with a progressive rehabilitation plan.

We have a provider contract with Bupa so we will claim on your behalf once you let us have your membership and authorisation numbers prior to treatment. Most other insurance companies will cover; however you need to check with you individual provider and payment for the sessions will need to be made directly to the clinic.

What to expect after treatment?

Immediately after treatment you may feel a dramatic reduction in pain, this effect only usually lasts for a few hours. The more important and lasting benefit is often not realised until around 9 weeks after the last treatment. Generally, post treatment a period of relative rest from intense exercise or activity reduction will be required to allow the tendon time to respond- your therapist will discuss this with you.