Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease common enough to affect approximately one-third of adults aged 65 and over.
Osteoarthritis (OA) starts with disruptions in joint tissue, continues with cartilage destruction, and causes inflammation and pain in the joints. Hip and knee OA are the most common types of OA.
Common treatments for Hip Osteoarthritis include exercise, physical therapy, drugs, and steroid injections. However, some of these treatments can be ineffective or come with a host of negative side effects.
That is why Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is being be used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, and has been found to be efficient in treating OA as a non-invasive, non-pharmacological, and risk-free treatment method.
How They Work: As Shockwaves pass through tissue, fat, bone, and muscle they cause micro-traumas that promote blood circulation, increase oxygen levels in cells, and relax tissues. These activities stimulate cell regeneration which repairs damaged tissues, slows down the deterioration of your tissues, and makes your tissues and bones stronger.
Two types of shock waves are used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders: focused (f-ESWT) and radial (r-ESWT). [LEARN MORE]
Research Study: In a clinical study, 148 patients were randomly distributed into three ESWT groups: focused, radial, and placebo.
The ESWT application consisted of a total of four sessions administered at one-week intervals
Pain was assessed based on pain intensity, function levels, and stiffness using WOMAC and VAC scores. (Lower scores mean less pain)
After the treatments, patients’ pain levels were assessed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. All VAS scores were significantly reduced in both focused and radial ESWT groups compared with baseline, Additionally, all WOMAC scores were significantly reduced in both focused and radial ESWT groups compared with baseline.
Conclusion: This randomized, controlled, double-blind study demonstrated that ESWT could be an effective and safe method to control pain and improve functional status in patients diagnosed with hip Osteoarthritis.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9865373/
