Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) for Tendon and Soft-Tissue Injuries

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) at Neo Sport Clinic delivers focused acoustic energy to chronic tendon and soft-tissue injuries that have failed to respond to standard rehabilitation alone. Administered within the clinic's physiotherapy suite in Olomouc — the same facility that serves SK Sigma Olomouc and HC Olomouc athletes — ESWT is indicated for Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, patellar tendinopathy, calcific shoulder tendinitis, and lateral epicondylitis. The acoustic waves stimulate local blood flow and promote tissue regeneration in the poorly vascularised zones where chronic tendon injuries persistently fail to heal.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) uses high-pressure acoustic waves generated outside the body and focused on a precise tissue target to treat chronic musculoskeletal conditions — in particular tendinopathies and calcific deposits that have proved resistant to conservative physiotherapy and rest. At Neo Sport Clinic in Olomouc, ESWT is available within the physiotherapy department and is typically prescribed as part of a broader rehabilitation plan rather than as a standalone one-off intervention. The mechanism operates on two complementary pathways. Mechanically, the acoustic pressure waves increase perfusion to the treated tendon — important because chronic tendinopathy tends to occur in hypovascular zones where the healing cascade is impaired. Biologically, the stimulation promotes collagen remodelling and the breakdown of pathological calcific deposits, giving the damaged tissue the local environment it needs to undergo genuine repair rather than simply masking pain with anti-inflammatory medication. Conditions that respond well to shockwave in the evidence base include Achilles tendinopathy at the mid-portion and the enthesis (insertion point), plantar fasciitis, jumper's knee (patellar tendinopathy), calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff in the shoulder, tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), and greater trochanteric pain syndrome. The same athletes treated at Neo Sport Clinic for orthopaedic injuries — football players from SK Sigma Olomouc, ice hockey players from HC Olomouc — routinely present with these overuse injuries during the competitive season, and the clinic's physiotherapy team applies shockwave as part of the accelerated return-to-sport protocol. A standard shockwave course consists of 3 to 6 sessions spaced approximately one week apart. Each session takes 15 to 20 minutes. During treatment, the applicator is placed against the skin with a coupling gel, and the patient experiences a rapid mechanical percussion at the treatment site — the intensity is adjusted to individual pain tolerance. No anaesthesia is required. Normal daily activity can be resumed immediately after each session, but strenuous loading of the treated tendon should be avoided for 24–48 hours to allow the tissue response to settle. At Neo Sport Clinic, shockwave is coordinated by the physiotherapy team and integrated with the other physical modalities available on-site — magnetotherapy, deep oscillation, and SIRIO regenerative ultrasound — so the treating physiotherapist can combine modalities in the same session for additive effect. Contraindications include open wounds at the treatment site, bleeding disorders or anticoagulant therapy, active infection, malignancy in the target region, and treatment over growth plates in skeletally immature patients. Pregnancy is also a contraindication. These are screened at the physiotherapy assessment.