Shockwave Therapy

There are basically four different ways to produce the ‘shock wave,’ which, without getting technical about it, are spark discharge, piezoelectric, electromagnetic and pneumatic (or electrohydraulic). The wave that is generated will vary in its energy content and have different penetration characteristics in human tissue. In therapy the most commonly employed generation method is based on the pneumatic system, and the key reason for its use is that a radial (dispersive) wave results. Focused waves are essential for surgical interventions; however, due to their destructive nature, they are less suitable for therapeutic applications. Focused waves are sometimes also referred to as ‘hard’ shockwaves, and the radial or dispersive wave is sometimes called a ‘soft’ shockwave (another twist in the terminology).