This treatment involves bombarding the target area of the body with percussive shock waves. The waves are produced by a tiny spark being produced in a liquid medium housed in a flexible surfaced probe. The spark causes a small explosion within the liquid. The shock wave from this explosion is transmitted through the liquid and the flexible probe covering, being held in contact with the skin, and passes through the targeted tissue.
Shockwave therapy is beneficial to speed healing of open wounds and speeds healing of slow or non-healing broken bones. It can also be very effective in the relief of many causes of pain. In our Equine practice it is used to treat and speed healing of strained ligaments and tendons, speed healing of broken bones, relieve sore backs, treat navicular disease and laminitis, and relieve soreness in the neck, stifle, and hock areas. Shockwave therapy is sometimes used as the only treatment for an abnormality but more often it is used along with other treatments to help insure a desirable outcome.
