Shockwave therapy is a treatment machine which was first launched into clinical practice in 1980 as a strategy to splitting up renal stones. Since then it has now typically been utilized as a strategy for soft tissue issues and to stimulate the development of bone. Shock waves are generally higher strength sound waves produced under water utilizing a high voltage explosion. In orthopedic conditions they are utilised to stimulate fresh blood vessel development and to stimulate the making of growth factors for instance eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase), VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and also PCNA (proliferating cell antinuclear antigen). Eventually this may lead to the improvement of the blood flow and to an increase in cell growth which will help healing. The latest episode of the podiatry chat show, PodChatLive was spent discussing shock wave therapy for podiatry practitioners.
In this occurrence of PodChatLive they chatted with Consultant Physical Therapist, academic and investigator Dylan Morrissey about how exactly good the evidence base for shock wave therapies is and how robust the methods which is typically applied within such investigation. Dylan furthermore spoke of what foot and ankle disorders shockwave is going to be indicated to treat and commonly used for and if there are actually any important contraindications or dangers related to shockwave’s use. Dr Dylan Morrissey is a physiotherapist with well over 25 years’ experience of doing work in sports and exercise medicine. Dylan finished the MSc at University College London in the UK in 1998 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2005 at King’s College London. Dylan is these days an NIHR/HEE consultant physical therapist and clinical reader in sports medicine and MSK physiotherapy at Bart’s and the London National Health Service trust / BL School of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL. He has accumulated more than £5m in research backing and he has authored in excess of 60 peer-reviewed full publications. Dylan's primary research interests are shockwave and tendon issues, research translation and also the link between movement and symptoms.