Having an injury can be extremely frustrating, especially a musculoskeletal injury. These types of injuries can often take six weeks or even several months to fully heal and can affect tendons, muscles, ligaments, and bones.
Shockwave therapy for musculoskeletal injuries is an effective treatment option to speed up the recovery process while being completely non-invasive. By applying acoustic waves to the injured area, more blood flow can access the area, promoting healing and providing pain relief.
EPAT therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology Therapy (EPAT), or shockwave therapy, applies high-frequency pressure waves to the injured area. This creates microtrauma in the tissue, triggering an inflammatory response that increases blood flow to the injury. The body then works to repair the tissue, speeding up the healing process and reducing pain. The exact amount of pressure applied can be adjusted based on your specific needs.
Musculoskeletal injuries can be painful and take several weeks (or months) to heal due to the lack of blood flow to the injured area. With shockwave treatment, injuries can potentially heal faster.
Types of Injuries Treated
The EPAT treatment can address a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries, including:
- Tendonitis
- Chronic pain from injuries
- Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
- Stress fractures
- Muscle strains (such as the calves and quads)
- Tennis elbow
- Bursitis (including hip bursitis)
- Overuse injuries
- And more
Benefits Of Epat
EPAT shockwave therapy treatment include:
- Faster healing from injury
- Minimal downtime
- Pain relief
- Improved function
- Non-surgical and non-invasive
- Affordable treatment option
Benefits of Treatment
You might be a candidate for treatment if you have a musculoskeletal injury, including but not limited to Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, hip bursitis, and many others. To determine if you are eligible for treatment, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
What To Expect with Shockwave Therapy Treatment
During your shockwave therapy consultation, your provider will conduct a medical evaluation, listen to your specific symptoms, and assess the injured area. If found to be a candidate for treatment, your provider will create a customized treatment plan and provide you with the specific number of sessions you’ll need.
Extracorporeal pulse activation technology uses a specialized device that is applied to the injured area, which emits shockwaves that will trigger an inflammatory response so that the body can produce more blood flow to the injury. Each session will last approximately 20 minutes. Shockwave therapy is an outpatient procedure with no downtime, enabling patients to drive after each session and resume their normal activities. Many patients receive additional treatment sessions over the course of several weeks to experience the full benefit of treatment.
Is Shockwave Therapy Painful?
Most clients report minimal to no discomfort during the procedure. The exact intensity of the shockwaves can be adjusted to the comfort level most well-tolerated. A numbing cream can also be applied to minimize any potential discomfort.
How Long Do the Benefits Last?
The exact amount of time the benefits of shockwave therapy last will vary based on each individual person. In many cases, clients experience injuries that heal more quickly.
Shockwave therapy for musculoskeletal injuries is most effective when combined with physical therapy sessions, rest, and/or specific lifestyle adjustments.
What are the Potential Side Effects?
Extracorporeal pulse activation technology is a safe and non-invasive treatment with few complications. Common side effects are temporary and mild, including redness at the location where treatment was applied and potentially bruising and/or swelling. More severe side effects of EPAT, while very rare, can include blistering or increased pain.
How Much Does Epat Therapy Cost?
For pricing details, contact our team to create a plan that works with your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does EPAT accelerate the healing process?
EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology) is believed to accelerate the healing process in certain conditions. It delivers acoustic pressure waves to the affected area, stimulating cellular metabolism, increasing blood circulation, and enhancing the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
By promoting these physiological responses, EPAT can potentially speed up healing musculoskeletal injuries, such as tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and other soft tissue injuries, with just a few sessions. Additionally, EPAT therapy may reduce inflammation and pain, allowing patients to resume their normal activities more quickly.
- Can extracorporeal pulse activation technology treat chronic pain?
Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT) is a non-invasive treatment option that has been explored for various musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic musculoskeletal pain. EPAT delivers acoustic pressure waves to the affected area, stimulating healing processes and improving blood circulation. The result is often significant pain reduction and a shorter healing process. In some cases, patients report immediate pain relief, while others will experience reduced discomfort after a few sessions.
While EPAT has shown promise in treating certain types of chronic pain, its effectiveness may vary depending on the underlying cause of the pain and individual patient factors. Shockwave therapy often works best when combined with other treatments or therapies.
- Will EPAT therapy improve blood circulation?
Yes, EPAT therapy has been shown to improve blood circulation by delivering acoustic pressure waves to the targeted area. These pressure waves stimulate cellular metabolism, enhance the formation of new blood vessels (a process called angiogenesis), and increase blood flow to the treated area.
Improved blood circulation is beneficial for various reasons. It helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, promotes the removal of waste products and toxins, and supports the healing process by facilitating the transportation of healing factors to the injured area.
So, by enhancing blood circulation, EPAT therapy can contribute to the overall healing process and may be particularly beneficial for conditions where poor blood flow contributes to the symptoms.
- Are extracorporeal shock wave therapy and EPAT the same?
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) and Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT) are related but distinct treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. ESWT uses high-energy shock waves, while EPAT employs low-energy acoustic pressure waves. Both aim to promote healing and reduce pain but differ in intensity and application methods.
Ready to recover from your injury and get back in the game?
