The goal for patients is to increase movement and pain reduction. Since ‘no one size fits all’ I offer several forms of treatment that may be helpful. Having the ability to use and combine multiple modalities is providing very positive results in terms of increased movement and pain reduction versus single modalities alone.
An advanced modality that is getting a lot of attention is shockwave. This provides peak pressures that are 1000 times greater than a biphasic ultrasound wave. Shockwave increases local blood flow, increases cellular activity, has an analgesic effect on nerves, and can breakdown calcific deposits (primarily, but not exclusively in tendons). Laser is another treatment device that can target tissues to impact mitochondrial activity. Laser can be used on nerves, tendons, muscles, ligaments, joint capsules, bone, and wounds. Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) (MagnaWave) has had FDA approval for muscle stimulation since 1998. PEMF is just gaining popularity as ‘nutritional therapy’ to the cells. It increases nitric oxide levels (same thing Viagra does) and has microcirculation enhancement.
Summary: Combining these 3 modalities along with my hands-on therapy is allowing my patients to feel more supple and experience less pain.