What is a tendon injury?
Tendons are the very strong and dense fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones. As they anchor the muscles to the bones they need to be remarkably strong and have one of the highest tensile strengths of any of the body’s soft tissues.
Tendons can become damaged via sudden trauma as in acute sports injuries or by gradual process change resultant from repetitive loading of the tendon over time. The more acute injuries may require surgical intervention if there is evidence of significant tear or rupture. Those not requiring surgery can often be rehabilitated with appropriate prescriptive exercise in the context of addressing any underlying mechanical issues.
Poorly rehabilitated injuries or chronic presentations are more challenging to treat and this is where SWT becomes a very effective intervention.
The shock waves that are produced by the SWT machine are acoustic waves that are introduced to the body by means of a transmitter and handpiece and they then radiate outwards from the point of contact. The pressure waves produce an effect at a cellular level in the tissues being treated. These are beneficial for healing and blood flow, and the formation of new blood vessels that create an improved environment for tissue repair.
