Journal article
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Pain Management - an In-Depth Narrative Review
Orthopedic Reviews, v 18, 154361
10 Aug 2026
PMID: 42592301
Featured in Collection : Drexel's Newest Publications
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative review is to explain the cellular mechanisms behind chronic pain, the mechanisms behind extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and its efficacy for the treatment of various chronic pain conditions including tendinopathies, greater trochanteric pain, de quervain tenosynovitis, myofascial pain, plantar fasciitis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, fractures, osteonecrosis, bone edema, coccydynia, low back pain, chronic pelvic pain syndrome/chronic prostatitis, ulcers, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Many recent clinical trials and meta-analyses from the year 2024 overall supported the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of chronic pain conditions with minimal adverse effects.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is a novel technique that uses mechanotransduction to induce a cellular response that prevents central sensitization, reduces inflammation, and contributes to healing that alleviates pain. The specific mechanisms through which extracorporeal shockwave therapy are largely unknown or poorly understood. A literature search of Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted to identify 84 studies from 2000-2024 evaluating the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. The results indicate that extracorporeal shockwave therapy holds strong promise for the treatment of numerous chronic pain pathologies with minimal adverse effects and should be studied further.
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Details
- Title
- Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Pain Management - an In-Depth Narrative Review
- Creators
- Wisdom Ufondu - Brown UniversityOludotun Ogunsola - University of MichiganAva Williams - Emory UniversityKayla Valenti - Drexel UniversityGabriella Herbert - University of PittsburghEzinne Ezenekwe - Oklahoma State University at TulsaJustin Bufano - Seton Hall UniversityToyyib Suleiman - University of PittsburghFredrick Esiso - NCR (United States)David Jevotovsky - New York UniversityJamal Hasoon - The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonVwaire Orhurhu - MVM Health, East Stroudsburg, PA, USA
- Publication Details
- Orthopedic Reviews, v 18, 154361
- Publisher
- Open Medical Publishing
- Number of pages
- 44
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Medicine
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001851453600001
- Other Identifier
- 991022201580304721