SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
Shockwave Therapy For Physiotherapy
& Sports Medicine
Professional shockwave therapy systems for physiotherapy clinics, sports medicine and rehabilitation centres. The Globus Shockwave 2000 MED — clinically proven for tendinopathy and chronic pain.
What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Radial Pressure wave Technology
Shockwave therapy uses high-energy acoustic pressure waves delivered to targeted tissue via a handheld applicator. These pressure waves create a series of mechanical effects at the cellular level — stimulating tissue repair, breaking down calcifications, increasing local blood flow and reducing pain through neurological pathways.
The Globus Shockwave 2000 delivers radial pressure waves — the most widely used and best-evidenced form of shockwave therapy in clinical practice. Treatment sessions are typically 5 to 10 minutes and most conditions require between 3 and 6 sessions.
How It Works
The Mechanism Of Shockwave
CELLULAR EFFECTS
When acoustic pressure waves reach tissue, they create a phenomenon called cavitation — the formation and collapse of microscopic bubbles within the tissue fluid. This mechanical stress on cells triggers a healing response: increased production of growth factors, stimulation of collagen synthesis and improved blood supply to the treated area.
In chronic tendinopathies, the tissue has often become degenerative and poorly vascularised — it lacks the blood supply needed to heal. Shockwave therapy essentially restarts the healing process by creating a controlled, therapeutic microtrauma that recruits the body’s own repair mechanisms.
PAIN RELIEF MECHANISM
Shockwave therapy also provides significant neurological pain relief. The acoustic waves stimulate the release of Substance P — a neuropeptide involved in pain transmission — and over the course of treatment, the local nerve fibres become desensitised. Many patients report a noticeable reduction in pain even after the first session, with progressive improvement across the treatment course.
CALCIFICATION BREAKDOWN
One of the most distinctive capabilities of shockwave therapy is its ability to break down calcific deposits in tendons — particularly in the shoulder. Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff, which can cause severe and debilitating pain, responds exceptionally well to shockwave therapy. Studies show complete or partial calcification resorption in the majority of treated patients.
CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
Conditions Treated With
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy has one of the strongest evidence bases of any physiotherapy modality — particularly for tendinopathies and chronic musculoskeletal conditions that have failed to respond to other treatments.
93%
PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Clinical studies show over 90% of patients with chronic plantar fasciitis show significant improvement following shockwave therapy.
77%
CALCIFIC SHOULDER
Documented calcification resorption in the majority of patients with calcific rotator cuff tendinitis treated with shockwave.
80%
ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY
Strong clinical evidence for significant reduction in pain and improved function in chronic Achilles tendinopathy.
3-6
SESSIONS TYPICAL
Most conditions respond to 3 to 6 treatment sessions of 5 to 10 minutes each, delivered weekly or biweekly.
PRIMARY INDICATIONS
- Plantar fasciitis and heel spur syndrome
- Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff and shoulder
- Achilles tendinopathy — mid-portion and insertional
- Patellar tendinopathy — jumper’s knee
- Lateral epicondylitis — tennis elbow
- Medial epicondylitis — golfer’s elbow
- Greater trochanteric pain syndrome — hip bursitis
- Trigger point therapy — myofascial pain
- Chronic neck and shoulder tension
- Stress fracture rehabilitation
WHY ADD SHOCKWAVE TO YOUR CLINIC
- High patient demand — patients actively seek shockwave therapy by name
- Strong evidence base — supported by extensive clinical research and NICE guidelines
- Non-invasive alternative — patients prefer it over steroid injections or surgery
- Short treatment times — 5 to 10 minutes, fits into any clinical schedule
- High treatment fees — shockwave commands premium session prices in the UK market
- Treats what other modalities cannot — especially chronic tendinopathy
- Fast patient outcomes — noticeable results from session one in many cases
WHO USES SHOCKWAVE THERAPY
The Clinicians
Who Trust Shockwave
🏥
PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINICS
Shockwave therapy is now considered an essential clinical tool for any physiotherapy practice treating musculoskeletal conditions. It fills a gap that electrotherapy and manual therapy alone cannot.
⚽️
SPORTS MEDICINE
Sports medicine professionals use shockwave for its speed and effectiveness on the tendon injuries that plague athletes — Achilles, patellar and hamstring tendinopathy in particular.
🩺
ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALISTS
Orthopaedic surgeons increasingly recommend shockwave therapy as a first-line intervention before considering surgical options — reducing the need for invasive procedures.
🐾
VETERINARY PRACTICES
Shockwave therapy is growing rapidly in veterinary medicine — particularly for equine tendon injuries and small animal orthopaedic conditions. The Globus Shockwave 2000 is available in a dedicated veterinary version.
