Shock Wave Therapy in Brooklyn: A Noninvasive Solution for Chronic Pain and Sports Injuries

In 2023, sports injuries in the United States increased by 2% over the year before. That may not seem like much until you realize that they’d increased by 20% in 2021 and another 12% in 2022. If you’re an athlete or just compete for fun, you know you’re at risk for an injury. 

Another thing you know: You want to avoid surgery. So how do you rehabilitate your injured tissues and get back in the game without a trip to the operating room? Shock wave therapy is a noninvasive treatment that helps with pain and healing for a variety of injuries and soft tissue or bone conditions, including:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Sprains and strains
• Hairline fractures
• Muscle pulls and tears
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Osteoarthritis

Our physical therapy and rehab team at Advanced Medical Care in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York, recommends shock wave therapy — also known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) — to help you recover and heal from chronic and acute injuries. This simple treatment uses acoustic shock waves to stimulate and amplify your body’s healing powers.

Could this noninvasive treatment address your sports injury or chronic pain? Here’s how this novel, safe therapy might help you.

How shock wave therapy works

Shock wave therapy begins as a mechanical force that’s converted into acoustic (sound) waves.

The ESWT device contains compressed air that accelerates a projectile up to 80 to 90 kph within a guiding tube. The projectile strikes the metal applicator that we place on your skin. This kinetic energy is converted into a radial shock wave. The stress waves that the projectile transmit pressure waves into your tissues to a depth of 4-5 cm. 

In the 1980s, physicians used shock wave therapy solely to break up kidney stones without the need for surgery. In the ensuing decades, researchers and clinicians began to find other uses, and our team offers this treatment to help with pain and healing.

How your body reacts to shock wave therapy

Your body is designed to react to stress. If you cut yourself, your immune system jumps into action, increasing blood flow to the area to wash out debris and pathogens and supply nutrients and rebuilding materials to help you heal.

You can think of shock wave therapy as a form of controlled, short-term stress that triggers your body’s immune system and healing capabilities. After the treatment, your body shifts into repair mode.

Increases blood flow to the area

First, your circulatory system rushes blood to the treatment area. Your cells become more permeable, which creates a localized inflammatory response, the first step in healing. This increases blood flow even more.

Dulls local nerves

The shock waves also degrade nerve bundles that transmit pain to your brain. You may feel immediate pain relief or reduction shortly after your treatment.

Stimulates hormones, cells, and growth factors

The increased blood flow brings extra growth factors to the area, which help your body build healthy new tissue, rich with proteins. The stress from shock wave therapy also stimulates the release of hormones and progenitor cells that help your body repair tissues. 

What to expect with shock wave therapy

Most women and men who receive shock wave therapy report mildly uncomfortable sensations, such as warmth and pressure, during their treatment. However, it’s not painful. If you do feel pain, simply tell us and we turn down the energy.

The increased blood flow to the area may cause some short-term swelling and bruising. Because shock wave therapy works with your body’s healing mechanisms, it takes weeks to months to experience your full benefits. However, you may feel partial relief within 24-48 hours. 

Although you should expect to wait until about six weeks for full relief, many experience a full recovery to normal activities within just 3-4 weeks. 

Are you ready to explore how this remarkable treatment can help your body heal from chronic pain and sports injuries? Contact Advanced Medical Care in Brooklyn to schedule your shock wave therapy session today.