Softwave Therapy for the Treatment of Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
A Revolutionary Non-Invasive Treatment for Sports Injuries
If you have had either tennis or golfer’s elbow, as I have, you will attest to how vexing a problem it can be. When you have one of these conditions, even simple tasks like opening a jar or lifting your hand with a bottle of beer (very important) can be difficult. The muscles that both flex and extend the wrist attach to bony prominences on either side of your elbow. The technical term used to describe one of these prominences is an “epicondyle”. Therefore, tennis and golfer’s elbow are more formally known as “epicondylitis”. The condition usually occurs because of overuse, as might occur with both tennis and golf. As a side-note, when the pain is on the inside of the elbow it is known as “golfer’s elbow”, and when it is on the outside of the elbow it is known as “tennis elbow”. Below you will see pictured some of the anatomy involved.
Cortisone injections are often utilized in the medical arena but, unfortunately, such injections can also weaken or damage the tendon and its attachments. At Chiropractic Health and Wellness in Edina, Minnesota, we use noninvasive therapies to correct tennis elbow. Adjusting the shoulder, elbow, and wrist can make an incredible difference from a functional standpoint, and can allow the tissue to heal. We also use a groundbreaking methodology known as shockwave therapy. The instrument that we use is known as Softwave TRT. Softwave is a form of shockwave therapy that was originally designed in Germany. The predecessor of Softwave TRT (tissue regeneration technology) was created in the 1980s and was originally used for the nonsurgical treatment of kidney stones, a procedure known as lithotripsy. When large numbers of patients received lithotripsy it started to become evident that there were other beneficial physiological effects from the procedure; and a whole category of therapeutic modalities known as “shockwave therapy” was born. Softwave TRT is the latest device in that evolution.
Softwave TRT works by relieving pain, modulating inflammation, improving blood flow, and, most importantly, activating and recruiting stem cells. Shockwave therapy causes the body’s army of repairmen to enter injured tissue and rebuild it. Of any of the numerous benefits of shockwave therapy, tissue regeneration through the activation of stem cells is probably the most significant.
When the Softwave device is applied to tennis elbow it is common for people to experience significant relief of pain very rapidly and the shockwave therapy promotes healing. The healing process generally takes place over a 6 to 8 week time period. What is most impressive is that very often we will have a patient perform a motion or activity before treatment and then see immediate changes in functionality after treatment.
Softwave therapy is noninvasive, effective, and less expensive than many of the other regenerative technologies on the market. If you, or someone you know, is suffering from tennis or golfer’s elbow then give us a call at Chiropractic Health and Wellness in Edina, Minnesota to schedule an appointment. We are happy to help.
