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| Acoustic sound waves generated outside the human body in a lithotripter are called extracorporeal shockwaves., applicable in several medical disciplines. They have been used for decades by urologists to treat kidney stones. Now, in barely ten years, the method has become widely used in orthopaedics and traumatology. Shockwave therapy has developed into a non-invasive and bloodless procedure with few side affects and risks. ESWT can often replace surgery even though this treatment is in most cases given on an outpatient basis without general anaesthesia. | |
| Specialists consider that ESWT is indicated if the usual and proven standard conservative treatments have provided only moderate or poor results after several months. To this extent, shockwave therapy is almost always the treatment of second choice but is, however, often the first choice treatment for bone healing disorders. In principle, ESWT is a therapy given by a medical doctor. The necessary conditions are good specialist qualifications and, especially, sufficient surgical experience with locomotor system diseases. Most shock wave therapists are orthopaedic specialists and surgeons. |
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