More than three-quarters of all people reportedly experience back pain at some point in their lives. Additionally, around 15 percent of older adults indicate that they suffer from some level of constant hip pain. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Dr. Stakes sees a lot of these types of issues in his Orchard Road and Raffles Place clinics. Although many treatment remedies exist depending on the type and extent of the underlying issue, one of the therapies that offer a wide variety of benefits for back and hip-related pain is shock wave therapy, and research confirms it.

For instance, one study published in February of 2015 in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science involved 30 patients who had experienced chronic low back pain for at least three months. For purposes of this particular piece of research, one-half of the participants engaged in extra-corporeal shock wave therapy twice a week for a period of six weeks while the other half received conservative physical therapy for the same period of time. 

Upon conclusion of the study, each person was assessed in regard to changes in their pain levels, level of disability, and back depression. Based on their findings, researchers concluded that there were “significant decreases” in all three areas. This is good news considering the number of people who struggle with back-related issues and are looking for relief, indicating that shock therapy is a viable option to consider.

In regard to how shock wave therapy can potentially benefit hip pain, a case study published in Brain Injury highlighted a 43 year old female who had a post traumatic brain injury 10 years prior and, as a result, was experiencing pain and reduced range of motion in her hip joint, making it more difficult for her to walk as she had prior to the injury. After just six weeks of treatment, the woman’s pain was reduced to zero on the scale, her range of motion in her hip improved, and she had increased step length, meaning it was easier for her to walk.

If you’re currently struggling with back or hip-related pain, no matter what the cause, and would like to see what Dr. Stakes could do for you, call and schedule your appointment today!

Resources

Christmas, C et al. (2002, April). How common is hip pain among older adults? Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Journal of Family Practice, 51(4), 345-8. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11978258.

Hyeonjee, H et al. (2015, February). The effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain, disability, and depression of chronic low back pain patients. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 27(2), 397-399, doi:10.1589/jpts.27.397

Reznik, JE et al. (2013). Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) as a treatment for recurrent Neurogenic Heterotopic Ossification (NHO). Brain Injury, 27(2), 242-7, doi:10.3109/02699052.2012.729293