New Roles for Shock-Wave Therapy

Surveys of lobe circulation and burn models on rats at the University Clinic of Innsbruck (Austria) that were treated with shock wave therapy have shown that the therapy outclasses all previously applied treatments. In experiments on pigs, Japanese researchers were able to use the therapy to improve the circulation in myocardial muscle. The scientists speculate that the healing is due to a biochemical effect that initiates growth in blood vessels and releases growth factors.

Dr. Ching-Jen Wang (Kaoshiung, Taiwan) demonstrated a biologic response to shock wave therapy involves various proteins (growth factors), which cause an increased integration of newly formed blood vessels as well as new growth of tissue, thereby triggering the healing process that results in better circulation of the myocardial muscle, new bone formation, and formation of new skin on lesions.