Individualised radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) for symptomatic calcific shoulder tendinopathy: a retrospective clinical study

Effect of extracorporeal shock wave combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma injection on rotator cuff calcific tendinitis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is a common shoulder disease whose main symptoms include shoulder pain, limited mobility, and calcification deposits in the shoulder. Traditional treatment methods have certain limitations, so finding new treatment methods has become the focus of research. Extracorporeal shock wave (ESW) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments have attracted much attention due to their non-invasive and tissue repair-promoting properties; however, the efficacy of their combined treatment in RCCT remains unclear.

METHODS

This study is designed as a single-center, assessment-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial with three parallel groups. Sixty subjects will be recruited and randomly divided into the ESW group, PRP group, and ESW combined with PRP group, in a 1:1:1 ratio. The entire intervention period is 4 weeks, and the follow-up period is 4 weeks. Outcomes will be measured at baseline (T0), after 1 week of intervention (T1), after 2 weeks of intervention (T2), after 4 weeks of intervention (T3), and after an additional 4 weeks of follow-up period (T4). The primary endpoint is the VAS score. Secondary endpoints are ASES, CMS, UCLA, and the location and size of calcified areas.

DISCUSSION

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ESW therapy combined with PRP in treating RCCT. We compare the effects of single and combined treatments to explore their impact on disease symptoms, functional improvement, and calcification regression. This provides a scientific basis for identifying more effective treatment options.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06372600. Registered on April 17, 2024; version 1.

Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) for coccydynia: a prospective study of 14 patients

Background

Coccydynia is defined as pain in the coccyx. We investigated the effect of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) in the management of coccydynia.

Methods

In this prospective study, patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with coccydynia at a sports clinic located in Thessaloniki, Greece, were eligible for rESWT treatment when they reported a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain level ≥6. Treatment sessions were once weekly and ended when VAS pain levels decreased to ≤3. Recurrence rates were documented at 3-month and 12-month follow-ups.

Results

Fourteen patients were treated using rESWT. The mean age and symptom duration of our cohort was 33.6±7.9 (range: 20-45) years and 9.4±8.5 (range: 3-36) months, respectively. The mean number of treatment sessions per patient was 6.4±1.6 (range: 4-8). The mean device pressure, frequency, and number of pulses was 1.2±0.1 (range: 1-1.4) bar, 5.0±0.1 (range: 5-6) Hz, and 2082±74.8 (range: 2000-2300) pulses, respectively. Treatment alleviated pain in all patients, and no recurrence of symptoms was reported during follow-up. There was a positive correlation between symptom duration and the number of treatment sessions (r=0.701, P=0.005). Pairwise comparison highlighted significant reductions in VAS pain levels between each stage of treatment (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Our study affirms the safety and efficacy of rESWT in managing coccydynia.

Global trends in research on extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) from 2000 to 2021

BACKGROUND

This study intended to analyze the application of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in medicine and to evaluate the quality of related literature.

METHODS

All publications were extracted from 2000 to 2021 from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The literature characteristics were depicted by VOSviewer (version 1.6.15) and the online bibliometric website ( http://bibliometric.com/ ). The future trends and hotspots were conducted by Bibliographic Item Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (version 2.0) and gCLUTO software.

RESULTS

We analyzed 1774 articles corresponding to the criteria for ESWT publications from 2000 to 2021. Most studies were conducted within the United States and China which besides have the most cooperation. The most published research institutions are Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Kaohsiung Medical University. Six research hotspots were identified by keyword clustering analysis: Cluster0: The effects of ESWT on muscle spasticity; Cluster1: The application of ESWT in osteoarthritis (OA); Cluster2: Therapeutic effect of ESWT on tendon diseases; Cluster3: Early application of ESWT/ESWL in urolithiasis; Cluster4: The Role of angiogenesis in ESWT and the efficiency of ESWT for penile disease; Cluster5: The Special value of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT).

CONCLUSIONS

A comprehensive and systematic bibliometric analysis of ESWT was conducted in our study. We identified six ESWT-related research hotspots and predicted future research trends. With the gradual increase of research on ESWT, we find that ESWT is used more and more extensively, such in musculoskeletal disease, bone delay union, neurological injury, andrology disorders, lymphedema, and so on. In addition, the mechanism is not destructive damage, as initially thought, but a restorative treatment. Furthermore, delayed union, cellulite, burn, and diabetic foot ulcers may be the future direction of scientific study.

Application of shock wave therapy in the treatment of calcific tendinopathies

Tendons are the soft tissue that connects muscles to bones. They are made of collagen and elastin, they are strong and solid, and have no possibility of contraction. Their strength helps us to move. Recovery of tendon injuries is long-lasting and can take more than six months. If a tendon is shed during a time injury, calcification occurs at the site of the injury and the disease is called calcifying tendinopathy. The very existence of calcifications is an indication for treatment with a mechanical shock wave (Shock wave). Mechanical shock waves can act in focus or radially. The difference between focused and radial waves is primarily in their physical basis. Focused shock waves differ from radial shock waves in terms of therapeutic depth of penetration into the tissue. The basic biological effect of a mechanical shock wave is stimulating. The energy of the mechanical shock wave acts at the cellular level by stimulating the reduction of inflammation and pain in the tissue. Using mechanical shock wave in the treatment of calcified tendinopathies, a safe method for breaking calcifications was obtained. Shock wave can be applied to using: different frequency, different number of strokes, as well as different strength of strokes in their studies. The choice of parameters for the application depends on whether it is calcified or non-calcified tendinopathy. Indications for the use are: painful shoulder, heel spur, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, Achilles tendon tendinopathy, jumping knee, patellar tendinitis, myalgia, myogelosis and muscular tendon overstrain syndrome. Contraindications for the use are: the existence of prostheses, knees and hips, as well as various orthopedic material, pacemaker, as well as the presence of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or tumors. The application of a mechanical shock wave is new, non-invasive method, easy to apply, always reduces pain and practically without side effects. This method has a special role in the treatment of chronic inflammation of diseased tendons, with or without calcification. The only dilemma in the application of a mechanical shock wave can be in the number of applications as well as the time break between the applications of two consecutive mechanical shock waves therapy.

Focused, radial and combined shock wave therapy in treatment of calcific shoulder tendinopathy

Objective: The aim of this work is to compare the clinical, functional, and ultrasonographic outcomes of focused, radial, and combined extracorporeal shock-wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of calcific shoulder tendinopathy.Methods: we enrolled 45 patients with calcific shoulder tendinopathy, their ages ranged from 30 to 68 (50.93 ± 9.44) years, classified according to the line of treatment into three groups, all received four sessions of ESWT 1 week apart.Group I: 15 patients received focused shock waves (F-SW) 1500 shocks.Group II: 15 patients received radial shock waves (R-SW) 2000 shocks.Group III: 15 patients received combined focused and radial shock waves (C-SW). All patients were evaluated by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK US) before treatment, at 1 week and at 3 months after the last session.Results: In the three studied groups, there was a significant improvement in shoulder pain, active range of motion (ROM), and shoulder function by shoulder disability questionnaire (SDQ) at 1 week after the end of treatment and after 3 months follow up. Moreover, there was a significant sonographic reduction in calcification size in the three groups. At the end of the study, the best improvement as regards a decrease of calcification size was obtained in group III when compared with group I and group II.Conclusion: These results demonstrated clinical, functional, and sonographic improvement in all groups. The best therapy in calcific shoulder tendinopathy appears to be combined focused and radial ESWT compared to interventions alone. Level 1 Evidence Randomized control study.

EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCKWAVE THERAPY IN SHOULDER INJURIES: PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objective:

To evaluate the functional results after the use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in four groups of patients: tendinopathy, partial rotator cuff injury, adhesive capsulitis and calcareous tendinopathy of the rotator cuff at one month and three months after the end of treatment.

Methods:

Case series in which patients were evaluated according to the VAS of pain, range of motion of the shoulder, and functional questionnaires DASH and modified UCLA.

Results:

There was a significant increase in the measure of flexion, lateral rotation and shoulder abduction in the evaluations after treatment in relation to the baseline measurement (p < 0.001) and no evidence of significant difference was found between the post-treatment evaluations at one month and three months follow-up (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the VAS score, increase in the UCLA score and a significant reduction in the DASH score in the post-treatment evaluations in relation to the baseline score (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in the three-month evaluation in relation to one month (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy proved to be efficient and safe in the treatment of shoulder pathologies, improving pain, range of motion and functional scores in all groups of patients evaluated in the study. Level of Evidence IV, Case series.

Predictive factors of response in radial Extracorporeal Shock-waves Therapy for Myofascial and Articular Pain: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Myofascial Pain Syndrome causes disability in daily life activities and despite all efforts, it continues to be a challenge, perpetuating suffering, overloading services and costs. New treatment options need to be tested.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to quantify the rESWT short-term analgesic effect and identify the predictors of success through comparing results achieved in MPS and Articular Pain (AP).

METHOD

Retrospective cohort study of 1,580 patients with Myofascial Pain Syndrome or Articular Pain underwent two weekly radial Extracorporeal Shock-wave Therapy sessions. The pain intensity was measured by Visual Analog Scale before and one week after the end of the treatment (3 weeks).

RESULTS

The therapy decreases pain by 62.50% (p< 0.0001), with a high success rate (91.59%) and a low worsening of baseline conditions rate (2.1%). The best recommendation is for patients with intense myofascial pain (Visual Analog Scale ⩾ 70 mm), using high shock-wave frequency (⩾ 15 Hz).

CONCLUSIONS

Two rESWT sessions promote pain relief, with a high success rate and low rates of treatment abandonment and worsening. The best results are obtained in myofascial pain patients with high pain intensity, treated with high-frequency dosage.

Comparison of efficacy of corticosteroid injection versus extracorporeal shock wave therapy on inferior trigger points in the quadratus lumborum muscle: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

In this study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of corticosteroid trigger point injection (TPI) versus extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on inferior trigger points in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle.

METHODS

In this single-blind randomized clinical trial, 54 low back pain patients with myofascial trigger points on QL muscle were investigated. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups with A and B pockets. Patients in group A underwent radial ESWT and received 5 treatment sessions (1 per week) and actually were not followed-up. However, patients in group B received corticosteroid TPI and received one session of corticosteroid treatment and followed-up for 4 weeks after injection. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analogue scale (VAS), pain pressure threshold (PPT) and short form (36) health survey (SF-36) were measured in both groups before, two weeks after and four weeks after intervention.

RESULTS

The between group comparison indicated that corticosteroid TPI leaded to significant higher improvements of ODI (P-value< 0.01), VAS (P value< 0.001), and PPT (P-value = 0.001) scores compared to the ESWT group at two-week follow-up time-point. ESWT group recorded significant higher improvement of ODI (P-value< 0.01) and SF-36 (P-value< 0.001) compared to the corticosteroid TPI at 4th week post treatment evaluation. At four-week follow-up time-point, the patients in the ESWT group were 1.46 times more likely to achieve 30% reduction in VAS, 2.67 times more likely to achieve 30% reduction in ODI, and 2.30 times more likely to achieve 20% improvement in SF-36 compared to the participants in corticosteroid TPI group. These results refer to large effect size for all study outcomes in ESWT group (d = 4.72, d = 1.58, d = 5.48, and d = 7.47 for ODI, PPT, SF-36, and VAS, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Corticosteroid TPI was more effective compared to ESWT in short-term controlling of pain and disability caused by myofascial pain syndrome of QL muscle. However, after 4 weeks treatment, ESWT further improved the quality of life and disability and was related with more probability of achievement the minimal clinically important difference concerning pain, disability and quality of life and large effect size for all study outcomes in treated patients compared to corticosteroid TPI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.irct.ir , IRCT20100827004641N14 , retrospectively registered 2019-01-19.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy mechanisms in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a popular non-invasive therapeutic modality in the medical field for the treatment of numerous musculoskeletal disorders. This technique first emerged around the 1980s as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and has been studied since then for its application towards orthopedics and traumatology. ESWT works by the emission of acoustic waves (shockwaves) that carry energy and can propagate through tissues. Shockwaves can generate interstitial and extracellular responses, producing many beneficial effects such as: pain relief, vascularization, protein biosynthesis, cell proliferation, neuro and chondroprotection, and destruction of calcium deposits in musculoskeletal structures. The combination of these effects can lead to tissue regeneration and significant alleviation of pain, improving functional outcomes in injured tissue. Considering these facts, ESWT shows great potential as a useful regenerative medicine technique for the treatment of numerous musculoskeletal injuries.

Common Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Elderly: The Star Triad

Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that significantly impair the state of health, especially in elderly subjects. A pathological triad of inter-related disorders that are highly prevalent in the elderly consists of the following main “components”: sarcopenia, tendinopathies, and arthritis. The aim of this review is to critically appraise the literature relative to the different disorders of this triad, in order to highlight the pathophysiological common denominator and propose strategies for personalized clinical management of patients presenting with this combination of musculoskeletal disorders. Their pathophysiological common denominator is represented by progressive loss of (focal or generalized) neuromuscular performance with a risk of adverse outcomes such as pain, mobility disorders, increased risk of falls and fractures, and impaired ability or disability to perform activities of daily living. The precise management of these disorders requires not only the use of available tools and recently proposed operational definitions, but also the development of new tools and approaches for prediction, diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of the three disorders and their combination.

Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy as a Novel Agent for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Refractory to Current Medical Therapy

This study aimed to assess efficacy and safety data from pilot trials of the radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refractory to current medical therapy. A total of 29 men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of BPH who had responded poorly to medical therapy for at least 6 months and were poor surgical candidates were enrolled. Each participant was treated with rESWT once a week for 8 weeks, each by 2000 impulses at 2.0 bar and 10 hertz of frequency. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) were evaluated before treatment, after the fourth and eighth rESWT, and 3 months after the end of treatment. Peak urinary flow ( Q_max) and postvoid residual (PVR) were assessed. Safety was also documented. Statistically significant clinical improvements were reported for IPSS, QoL, and IIEF-5 after treatment, and those were sustained until 3 months follow-up. Q_max and PVR improved evidently at 8 weeks with a 63% and 70% improvement, respectively. The only adverse event was the occasional perineum pain or discomfort, which usually disappeared within 3 days. The rESWT may be an effective, safe, and noninvasive treatment for symptomatic BPH in selected patients whose medical treatment has faced failure and are poor surgical candidates.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy Treatment in Upper Limb Diseases: A Systematic Review

Background: Rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT), subacromial impingement (SAIS), and medial (MEP) and lateral (LEP) epicondylitis are the most common causes of upper limb pain caused by microtrauma and degeneration. There are several therapeutic choices to manage these disorders: extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has become a valuable option.

METHODS

A systematic review of two electronic medical databases was performed by two independent authors, using the following inclusion criteria: RCT, SAIS, MEP, and LEP, ESWT therapy without surgical treatment, with symptoms duration more than 2 months, and at least 6 months of follow-up. Studies of any level of evidence, reporting clinical results, and dealing with ESWT therapy and RCT, SAIS, MEP, and LEP were included.

RESULTS

A total of 822 articles were found. At the end of the first screening, following the previously described selection criteria, we selected 186 articles eligible for full-text reading. Ultimately, after full-text reading, and reference list check, we selected 26 articles following previously written criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

ESWT is a safe and effective treatment of soft tissue diseases of the upper limbs. Even in the minority cases when unsatisfied results were recorded, high energy shockwaves were nevertheless suggested in prevision of surgical treatment.

The effect of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy on myofascial pain syndrome of trapezius: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is commonly seen in clinical settings and negatively influences a patient's daily life. Recently, the application of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been utilized as one of the treatment methods for MPS. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the current evidence for the short-term effect of ESWT on MPS of trapezius.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from the database inception to March 2019. Two reviewers independently screened articles, evaluated methodological quality, and extracted data. The primary outcome was post-interventional pain intensity.

RESULTS

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted to determine whether ESWT was used as the main treatment on MPS. The 5 studies reviewed in this meta-analysis were evaluated for changes in pain intensity. Compared with other treatments, focused ESWT in MPS was more effective in reducing the scores of visual analog scale (VAS) (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.48, 95% CI -0.74 to -0.22).

CONCLUSIONS

There is very low level evidence that focused ESWT is effective for short-term relief of neck pain in MPS. The limited sample size and poor quality of these studies highlight and support the need for large scale, good quality placebo controlled trials in this area.

Randomized Trial on Comparison of the Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Dry Needling in Myofascial Trigger Points

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy and dry needling in the treatment of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle.

DESIGN

A total of 65 patients with myofascial trigger points were randomly divided into extracorporeal shock wave therapy group (n = 32) and dry needling group (n = 33). Patients received 3 wks of treatment at 1-wk intervals (in both groups). Visual analog scale, pressure pain threshold, Neck Disability Index, and shear modulus were evaluated before treatment, immediately after the first therapy, 1 mo, and 3 mos after the completion of the third therapy.

RESULTS

Significant improvements of visual analog scale, pressure pain threshold, and Neck Disability Index scores were observed at all time points after treatment (P < 0.01) in both treatment groups. The shear modulus of myofascial trigger points was reduced in both dry needling group (P < 0.05) and extracorporeal shock wave therapy group (P < 0.01) immediately after the first treatment. Significant reductions in shear modulus were maintained up to 3-mo posttreatment in both groups (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy group and dry needling group.

CONCLUSIONS

The extracorporeal shock wave therapy is as effective as dry needling for relieving pain, improving function, and reducing shear modulus for patients with myofascial trigger points after a series of three treatments.

Comparison of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Traditional Physiotherapy in Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinitis Treatment

Objectives

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) in relieving pain and improving range of motion (ROM) and functionality besides conventional physiotherapy methods in the treatment of chronic rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT).

Patients and methods

We studied 80 patients (35 males, 45 females; mean age 53.3±9.6 years; range, 40 to 70 years) with chronic RCCT. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: rESWT group (n=40) treated with conventional physiotherapy and rESWT, and control group (n=40) treated only with a conventional physiotherapy program. The traditional physiotherapy program included ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, shoulder joint ROM and stretching exercises, and ice applications. All patients received a total of 20 treatments, five days a week for four weeks. rESWT was applied once a week for four weeks in total. Before and after treatment, all patients were evaluated for age, height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), pain intensity with a Visual Analog Scale, shoulder ROM, and functional disability status with the shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH).

Results

Mean BMI value of the participants was 26.1±3.0 kg/m2. Although all parameters of the patients in both groups improved significantly, patients in the rESWT group had a statistically significant improvement in pain, ROM and QuickDash scores (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

We assume that rESWT is an effective and noninvasive method of reducing pain and increasing ROM and functional status without the need for surgery.