0000000000512652
AUTHOR
Ludger Gerdesmeyer
Side-effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of tennis elbow
Apart from a few observational reports, there are no studies on the side-effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of insertion tendopathies. Within the framework of a randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blind, multicentre study to test the effectiveness of ESWT in the case of lateral epicondylitis (LE), side-effects were systematically recorded. A total of 272 patients from 15 centres was allocated at random to active ESWT (3 x 2000 pulses, energy flux density ED(+) 0.04 to 0.22 mJ/mm(2) under local anaesthesia) or placebo ESWT. In all, 399 ESWT and 402 placebo treatments were analysed. More side-effects were documented in the ESWT group (OR = 4.3, CI = [2.9; …
Repetitive low-energy shock wave application without local anesthesia is more efficient than repetitive low-energy shock wave application with local anesthesia in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis
Background: It remains unclear whether application of local anesthesia (LA) interferes with clinical e!cacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for chronic plantar fasciitis. Aims: To evaluate the e"ect of local anesthesia on the clinical outcome after repetitive low-energy ESWT for chronic plantar fasciitis. Methods: Eighty-six patients with chronic plantar fasciitis were randomly assigned to receive either low-energy ESWT without LA, given weekly for three weeks (Group I, n = 45; 3 · 2000 pulses, total energy flux density per shock 0.09 mJ/mm 2 ) or identical ESWT with LA (Group II, n = 41). Primary outcome measure was: Reduction of pain from baseline to month 3 post-treatment in …