Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine

A common injury amongst runners, and those who enjoy playing sports such as basketball & soccer, Achilles tendinitis is often treated using a combination of focused or radial shockwave, deep laser therapy and recommendations for home, including cold water immersion & stretching. Shockwave has been shown in several clinical studies to be an effective approach for many cases. When radial shockwave has not been successful in the past, it is still recommended to consider focused shockwave, as the sound waves penetrate more effectively, and induce growth factors in response, which is a unique benefit of focused shockwave as compared to radial. In short, it’s therapeutic action can be more intense then radial.

When these methods are not successful, or there is more significant damage to the tendon (e.g. partial tear), then prolotherapy, prolozone, and PRP therapy are all effective considerations.

Similarly to Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis is typically treated via both radial and focused shockwave, deep tissue laser therapy, orthotics, and home care recommendations. It responds very well to shockwave therapy.

Whether tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or rotator cuff tendonitis, the typical approach to treatment begins with isolating the strained tendon, accessing the degree of inflammation, determining the causative or aggravating factors preventing recovery, and choosing an appropriately matched treatment strategy based on the history. If the tendonitis is more recent and painful, or if stiffness and poor range of motion are the most significant qualities, then focused shockwave and deep tissue laser therapy, can be an ideal therapeutic combination to initiate. If the tendonitis is more chronic, and there is significant weakness and muscle atrophy, then the more regenerative injection based treatments of prolo, prolozone, and PRP would be more applicable strategy.

Although there remains a place for manual joint adjustments, soft tissue work, laser therapy, and even botox therapy, focused shockwave has proven itself to be an incredibly effective stand-alone treatment approach that has delighted many a patient with chronic TMJ syndrome. One typically feels an immediate improvement in the openness and improvement in the joint post treatment.