06/24/2025
Should you consider shock wave therapy (Radial Pulse Wave) for your chronic tendon tears?
What Is Radial Pulse Wave Therapy?
RPW therapy uses high-energy acoustic (sound) waves delivered through a handheld device to the injured area. These waves create tiny vibrations in the tissue, which “wake up” the body’s natural healing processes. It’s FDA-cleared for certain conditions and is often used for chronic tendon issues (tendinopathies) or partial tendon tears, though it may also help with acute injuries. Unlike surgery, it’s non-invasive, meaning no cuts or long recovery times.
Benefits of Radial Pulse Wave Therapy for Tendon Tears
Here’s how RPW can help with tendon tears, based on research and clinical evidence:
Speeds Up Healing by Boosting Blood Flow:
Tendon tears often heal slowly because tendons have poor blood supply. RPW creates microtrauma (tiny, controlled stress) in the tissue, which triggers the body to form new blood vessels (called neovascularization). This brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tear, speeding up repair.
Studies show RPW increases blood circulation, helping damaged tissue regenerate. For example, animal studies have found that shockwave therapy ups levels of growth factors like VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which supports new blood vessel growth.
Example: For a partial Achilles tendon tear, RPW can “reboot” a stalled healing process by improving blood flow to the area.
Reduces Pain:
Tendon tears can cause chronic or sharp pain, limiting movement. RPW reduces pain by interrupting pain signals (via a neurotransmitter called Substance P) and calming overactive nerves around the tear.
Research, like a study on Achilles tendinopathy, showed significant pain reduction (measured by the Visual Analog Scale) after just a few RPW sessions.
Patients often feel relief immediately or within a few weeks, with effects lasting up to 3–12 months in some cases.
Real-world benefit: Less pain means you can move more comfortably, which helps with rehab exercises and daily activities.
Breaks Up Scar Tissue and Adhesions:
Tendon tears often lead to scar tissue, which can stiffen the tendon and press on nearby nerves, causing pain or reduced motion. RPW’s acoustic waves break up this scar tissue, making the tendon more flexible and relieving pressure.
For example, a Tucson podiatrist reported that RPW helps break up adhesions in Achilles tendon injuries, improving range of motion.
Why it matters: This can restore smoother movement, especially for chronic tears where scar tissue has built up over time.
Stimulates Collagen Production:
Collagen is the main building block of tendons, giving them strength and structure. RPW boosts collagen production, helping the tendon rebuild stronger and more resilient tissue.
Studies note that RPW increases collagen synthesis, creating a better support structure for new cells.
Benefit: This is especially helpful for partial tears or degenerative tendons (tendinopathy), as it strengthens the damaged area over time.
Reduces Inflammation:
Chronic tendon tears often involve ongoing inflammation, which delays healing. RPW increases mast cell activity (cells that fight inflammation) and helps calm this cycle.
It’s particularly effective for conditions like Achilles tendinitis or patellar tendinopathy, where inflammation plays a big role.
Practical impact: Less inflammation means less swelling and discomfort, making it easier to start physical therapy or return to activity.
Non-Invasive with Minimal Risks:
Unlike surgery, RPW doesn’t require incisions, anesthesia, or long recovery periods. Treatments take 5–10 minutes per session, and you can usually resume normal activities the same day (though avoiding strenuous activity for 24 hours is advised).
Side effects are rare and mild, like temporary soreness or redness. Serious complications, like tendon rupture, are very rare but possible if the tendon is nearly fully torn, so a doctor’s evaluation is key.
Why it’s great: It’s a low-risk option for people who want to avoid surgery or can’t take time off for recovery.
High Success Rates for Specific Tendon Issues:
Research shows RPW is effective for tendon-related conditions, with success rates of 72–91% for issues like Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, or elbow tendinopathy.
For tendon tears, especially partial ones or chronic cases, RPW can improve function and reduce pain without invasive procedures. A study on Achilles tendinopathy found better function and pain relief at 8–12 weeks post-treatment.
Note: Success depends on the tear’s severity and location. Partial tears or chronic tendinopathies respond better than complete ruptures, which often need surgery.
Shorter Treatment Course Compared to Other Therapies:
RPW typically involves 3–8 sessions, once a week, lasting 5–10 minutes each. This is faster than traditional physical therapy, which might take weeks of frequent visits.
For example, a source noted that RPW requires fewer sessions than ultrasound therapy and pe*****tes deeper, making it more efficient.
Benefit: You save time and potentially money, as RPW can be more cost-effective than multiple physical therapy co-pays.
How It Works for Tendon Tears
Mechanism: The device delivers 2000–6000 pulses per session, using a gel to help waves glide over the skin. The waves pe*****te about 2 inches deep, targeting the tendon tear. They cause microtrauma, which sounds bad but actually restarts the healing process by triggering inflammation (in a good way) and releasing biochemicals that promote repair.
Conditions it helps: RPW is most studied for Achilles tendon tears, patellar tendon issues (knee), rotator cuff injuries (shoulder), and elbow tendinopathies (like tennis elbow). It’s less effective for near-complete tears or non-calcific rotator cuff issues.
Treatment feel: You might feel a thumping or mild discomfort during sessions, but it’s not usually painful. Pain often eases quickly after treatment.
Things to Keep in Mind
Not for everyone: RPW shouldn’t be used if there’s a full tendon rupture, severe osteoporosis, infection, or open wounds near the site. It’s also avoided in pregnancy or with certain blood disorders.
Best for chronic or partial tears: RPW shines for tendons that have stopped healing (chronic tendinopathy) or partial tears. Complete tears often need surgical repair, though RPW might aid recovery post-surgery.
Combine with rehab: RPW works best alongside stretching or strengthening exercises. A study showed better results for plantar fasciopathy when RPW was paired with stretches.
See a doctor first: A sports medicine doctor (Hint: Your sports medicine chiropractic team at SOUTH WEST HEALTH SPINE & SPORT) or orthopedist should evaluate the tear (via ultrasound or MRI) to confirm RPW is safe. For example, if a tendon is nearly fully torn, RPW could worsen it.
What You Can Do
Talk to a specialist: Ask about RPW’s suitability for the specific tendon tear. They’ll likely recommend 3–6 sessions, spaced 4–10 days apart, depending on the injury.
Avoid anti-inflammatories during treatment: Drugs like ibuprofen or ice can dampen the healing response RPW triggers, so skip them unless your doctor says otherwise.
Be patient: Full benefits may take 2–16 weeks, with gradual improvements in pain and function. Follow-up at 3–12 months can confirm long-term results.
Lifestyle support: Rest the tendon initially, then work with a physical therapist or sports rehab specialist on gentle exercises to strengthen it. Eventually, progression to eccentric exercises (the negative in an exercise movement) will strengthen the tendons long-term.
A diet rich in protein and vitamin C can aid tendon repair.
When to See a Doctor
If you’re dealing with a suspected tendon tear, it’s crucial to get a proper diagnosis before starting RPW. Sudden, severe pain, swelling, or inability to use the tendon (e.g., difficulty standing on toes for an Achilles tear) could mean a serious injury requiring urgent care. Also, if RPW doesn’t improve symptoms after 4–6 sessions, a doctor can check for other issues or suggest alternatives like regenerative peptide injections, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells or other regenerative medicine techniques.
Tendon tears often heal slowly because tendons have poor blood supply. RPW creates microtrauma (tiny, controlled stress) in the tissue, which triggers the body to form new blood vessels (neovascularization). This brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tear, speeding up repair.
