36 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com TYPES OF SHOCKWAVE THERAPY Blake Ohlson, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon who joined Charleston Sports Medicine in August, explained that there are two types of shockwave therapy: radial pulse and focus. Both utilize acoustic waves to try to stimulate the tissue and facilitate healing. Charleston Sports Medicine, which also uses the Storz Medical CuraMedix model, has been offering radial pulse shockwave therapy treatment for the past couple years to treat conditions such as Achilles disorders, tennis elbow and plantar fasciitis. He said Charleston Sports Medicine is one of only a few places in the area using focus shockwave, which it has offered since September. In addition to relieving other conditions, it is used to treat bone disorders such as arthritis. “It has the ability to penetrate with depth,” stated Dr. Ohlson. Shockwave therapy generally entails three to five treatments, depending on the type of tissue involved. Like Dr. Williamson, he noted that the healing process can take anywhere from six to 12 weeks. Dr. Ohlson can provide a combination of radial pulse and focus treatments as well. The procedure can take around five to seven minutes for one or 10 minutes for both. While there is some discomfort during the treatment, patients usually feel fine afterward. It is geared toward individuals who are looking for an option other than surgery. “These are folks who are not ready to go to the operating room,” remarked Ohlson. “There’s no risk of complications.” As shockwave technology has improved, practices are able to apply the devices to a wider range of conditions, according to Dr. Ohlson. Ryan Butler received a combination of radial pulse and focus shockwave therapy at Charleston Sports Medicine to treat an elbow injury. He hurt his left elbow lifting weights while on vacation, but, other than taking ibuprofen, he waited to see if it would improve on its own. After three months, the pain hadn’t subsided, so he saw Dr. Ohlson and received a cortisone shot. It didn’t work and the pain returned. He then tried shockwave therapy, undergoing four sessions over four weeks. Even following the first session he felt some improvement. Butler said the treatment wasn’t invasive, and, although there was slight discomfort, he could feel it working. “After the fourth treatment, I wasn’t in pain at all,” Butler recalled. “I’m a firm believer in it. It helped.”
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