Research
Clinically Proven. Clinically effective.
Commitment To Clinical Outcomes
SoftWave EWST is recognized worldwide for its immense regenerative outcomes.
Through the dedication of manufacturer MTS Science’s valued engineers, doctors, and scientists (and of course, the thousands of healed patients), SoftWave has revolutionized shockwave therapy and established itself with outstanding quality and proven technology.
The verified and ever-expanding evidence from preclinical research and clinical application for human health continues to validate the extraordinary healing effects on a seemingly endless list of tissues and conditions.
More on the conditions treated with SoftWave here
Scientific Journal Article
‘However, high-energy ESWT has been found to be an effective means of improving overall shoulder function and pain scores.’
Suzuki, Kentaro MD, et al Calcific Tendinitis of the Rotator Cuff: Management Options Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2014; 22(11):p 707-717 [read article]
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‘ESWT is associated with increased neovascularization and neolymphangiogenesis in rotator cuff tendinopathy. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis suggests an improvement in healing response in the ESWT-treated tendon.’
Branes J, et al. Shoulder Rotator Cuff Responses to Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy: Morphological and Immunohistochemical Analysis Shoulder & Elbow. 2012; 4(3):163-168. [read article]
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ESWT vs physical therapy and/or cortisone injection: ‘There was a significant difference in favor of group with conventional physical therapy (CPT) and ESWT, and compared to group with CPT and cortisone injection. ESWT patients had superior results versus CPT alone in all outcomes (except subacromial space).’
ElGendy M, et al. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy vs. Corticosteriod Local Injection in Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2023; 102(6):p 533-540 [read article]
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‘Compared with placebo, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) showed greater efficacy in shoulder pain relief. ESWT was efficacious and safe for treating patients with chronic rotator cuff tendonitis (CRCT).’
Li, W, et al. Effect of extracorporeal shock-wave therapy for treating patients with chronic rotator cuff tendonitis Medicine September 2017 96(35):p e7940. [read article]
Shoulder:
Calcifying Tendonitis
Rotator cuff injuries
Subacromial Bursitis
Frozen Shoulder
Bicipital Tendonitis
Knee
Medical collateral injury
Lateral collateral ligament injury
Meniscus injury
Anterior cruciate ligament
Posterior cruciate ligament
Patellar tendinopathy
‘ESWT is effective in reducing pain and improving knee function, with better results than placebo during the 12-wk treatment. We found no adverse events during and after ESWT.’
Zhe Zhao MD, et al. Efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Surgical Research. Dec 2013; 185(2): P 661-666. [read article]
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‘Differences in 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment were statistically significant compared with that before treatment. Gait analysis suggested differences in 50 m walk time, walking speed, swing phase, and stance phase 8 weeks after treatment were statistically significant compared with that before treatment. We discovered after a 6-month follow-up that, ESWT could alleviate knee joint pain and recover the knee joint function.’
Xu, Yongming, et al. The effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on the treatment of moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis and cartilage lesion. Medicine 2019; 98(20):p e15523. [read article]
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‘Walking duration was significantly extended … after ESWT in rats with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Immunohistochemical studies revealed that the OA group had significantly higher percentages of calcitonin gene-related peptide positive neurons (CGRP) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) than were found in the control group. In addition, ESWT reduced the ratio of CGRP positive DRG neurons in the OA model. The improvement in walking ability and the reduction of CGRP positive neurons in DRG indicates that ESWT is a useful treatment for knee OA.’
N Ochiai, et al. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy improves motor dysfunction and pain originating from knee osteoarthritis in rats. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Sept 2007;15(9):P 1093-1096. [read article]
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‘ESWT had overall significant effects on treatment success rate (TSR), pain reduction, and range-of-motion (ROM) restoration.’
Chun-De Liao, et al. Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for knee tendinopathies and other soft tissue disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders August 2018 v19(278). [read article]
‘Visual Analog Scale (VAS) [for pain] and all Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were significantly reduced al follow-up points (4th and 8th weeks). Focused ESWT (f-ESWT) produced a superior improvement in follow-up parameters compared to Radial ESWT (r-ESWT).’
Volkan, Sah. The Short-Term efficacy of Large-Focused and Controlled-Unfocused (Radial) Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapies in the Treatment of Hip Osteoarthritis Journal of Personalized Medicine 2023, 13(1), p 48. [read article]
[NOTE: SoftWave produces a combination of focused/non-focused shock wave - it is not a radial shock wave]
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‘In histopathological examination, the study group showed significantly more viable bone and less necrotic bone, higher cell concentration and more cell activities including phagocytosis than the control group.
‘Shockwave treatment significantly promotes angiogenesis and bone remodeling more than the control. It appears that application of shockwave results in regeneration effects in hips with ONFH (osteonecrosis of the femoral head).’
Wang, C-J, et al. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy shows regeneration in hip necrosis. Rheumatology [British Society for Rheumatology] April 2008; 47(4): p 542-546. [read article]
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ESWT compared to corticosteroid injections:
‘At 12 months, across all outcome, the ESWT group had significantly improved scores compared to the injection group…’
Heaver C, et al. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: focused shockwave therapy versus an ultrasound guided injection: a randomized control trial. HIP International. 2023; 33(3): p 490-499 [read article]
Hip
Hip pain [greater trochanter pain syndrome]
Arthritis
Osteonecrosis of femur head
Diabetic ulcers & chronic non-healling
Quicker healing time
Improved complete cure rate
Reduced treatment ineffectiveness
Better outcomes for tough cases
U.S. FDA approval since 2018
‘Significantly better’ than Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
‘ESWT is a feasible adjuvant treatment for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). It can effectively improve the complete cure rate, shorten the healing period of DFUs and significantly reduce treatment ineffectiveness. This can provide new therapeutic ideas for clinical practice of intractable and recurrent DFUs. ESWT was found to be associated with a greater reduction of wound surface area, and increase of re-epithelialization.
‘In addition, ESWT also showed a higher superiority than hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the population for complete cure and unchanged ulcer.’
Huang Q, et al. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Treating Foot Ulcers in Adults With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 2020: 44(2), P196-204. [read article]
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Burns, Surgical and other wounds
‘In this randomized phase II study, application of a single defocused shock wave treatment to the superficial second-degree burn wound after debridement/topical antiseptic therapy significantly accelerated epithelialization.’
Francis H, et al. Prospective Randomized Phase II Trail of Accelerated Reepithelialization of Superficial Second-Degree Burn Wounds Using Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy. Annals of Surgery, January 2012; 255(1): p23-29. [read article]
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‘Two patients has surgical wounds, three patients had leg ulcers of various etiologies, and one had a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). All patients experienced progressive healing over multiple ESWT sessions. All six patients experienced complete wound closure following six to eleven applications of ESWT applied approximately once a week.’
Marcus B. Extracorproreal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) For the Treatment of Chronic, Non-Healing Wounds: A Case Series. Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine. 2020; 4(2):p 1-7 [read article]
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Plantar Fasciitis / Heel Pain
All Foot and ankle Outcome Scores improve:
Pain
Function/activities of daily living
Function of sports and recreational activities
Quality of life domains improved
‘Treatment of PF with unfocused shock wave was well tolerated and led to significant pain reduction, functional improvement, and patient satisfaction.’
Ashraf Fansa A, et al. Efficacy of Unfocused Medium-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (MI-ESWT) for Plantar Fasciitis. Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery, May 2021; 60(3), P 471-476. [read article]
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Compared with patients who received other therapies for chronic plantar fasciitis, patients treated with ESWT responded better, had less complications and showed a clear difference in efficiency between ESWT and other therapy in chronic plantar fasciitis.
Sun K, Zhou H, Jiang W. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy versus other therapeutic methods for chronic plantar fasciitis. Foot and Ankle Surgery; January 2020; 26(1): P 33-38 [read article]
Stroke
For post-strokes patients, many assessment outcome improve:
Range-of-motion (ROM)
Muscular tone
Posture
Reduction in spasticity
Quality of life
Sensory reception
At long-term follow-up, ESWT significantly reduced MAS [Modified Ashworth Scale], and VAS [Visual Analog Scale], and FMA [Fugl-Meyer Assessment]. Conclusions: ESWT showed long-term effects in relieving spasticity, while reducing pain, enhancing ROM and motor function in stroke patients.
Jia G, et al. Long-term Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Poststroke Spasticity: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases 2020 29(3), 104591. [read article]
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Recent data confirm both a subjective (spasticity, pain, and functioning) and objective (range of motion, postural control, muscular endurance, muscle tone, and muscle elasticity) improvements for post-stroke spasticity. The studies affirm the effectiveness of ESWT in reducing muscle spasticity and improving motor recovery after stroke.
Dymarek R, et al. Shock Waves as a Treatment Modality for Spasticity Reduction and Recovery Improvement in Post-Stroke Adults - Current Evidence and Qualitative Systematic Review. Clinical Interventions in Aging; 2020 Volume 15, p 9-28 [read article].