Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is a promising natural remedy for cartilage regeneration. Electrohydraulic shock waves help reduce pain, decrease inflammation, increase blood flow, and preserve cartilage—all characteristics associated with osteoarthritis.
Cartilage is a connective tissue that acts to cushion joints, provide structure, and allow for smooth movement between bones.
The erosion of cartilage leads to osteoarthritis, a painful joint condition that leads to swelling, stiffness and possible loss of function.
While osteoarthritis is not reversable, there are some treatment options such as medication, physical therapy, injections, and surgery.
While these treatment options work to varying degrees, there is growing scientific evidence supporting the use of ESWT as a natural remedy for cartilage regeneration, particularly in the context of osteoarthritis and osteochondral defects.
1. Pain Reduction
Mechanism: ESWT may desensitize nerve endings and reduce the release of pain-related neurotransmitters.
Benefit: Many patients report reduced joint pain after treatment, especially in weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. "The use of ESWT for treatment of knee OA had a beneficial effect on pain relief and physical function improvement for up to 12 months..."
"Extracorporeal shock wave therapy decreases pain and improves function in patients with knee osteoarthritis." Their results indicated a mean difference of 1.7 cm on the pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and 13.9 points on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scale, suggesting moderate improvement. They also noted improvement in knee range of motion and walking tests.
VAS is a tool used to measure pain intensity, consisting of a 10 cm line with endpoints representing "no pain" and "worst pain possible." Patients indicate their pain level by marking a point on the line, which is then measured to provide a score out of 10.
The WOMAC is widely used in the evaluation of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis. It is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 24 items divided into 3 subscales:
Pain (5 items): during walking, using stairs, in bed, sitting or lying, and standing upright
Stiffness (2 items): after first waking and later in the day
Physical Function (17 items): using stairs, rising from sitting, standing, bending, walking, getting in / out of a car, shopping, putting on / taking off socks, rising from bed, lying in bed, getting in / out of bath, sitting, getting on / off toilet, heavy domestic duties, light domestic duties
Higher scores on the WOMAC indicate worse pain, stiffness, and functional limitations.
2. Improved Blood Flow and Tissue Healing
Mechanism: The shock waves stimulate neovascularization (new blood vessel formation) in the treated tissues. Immediately after treatment, ultrasound doppler (that measures blood flow) activity increased, which may result in tissue regeneration and repair.
Benefit: Enhanced blood supply can promote healing and reduce inflammation in arthritic joints.
3. Reduced Inflammation
Mechanism: ESWT may modulate inflammatory mediators. "Suprapatellar effusion (fluid buildup) height was reduced after ESWT and the effect was maintained after 1-month."
Benefit: This helps control chronic inflammation that contributes to cartilage degradation and joint damage in arthritis.
Traditionally, osteoarthritis was seen as a mechanical disease — cartilage wearing down over time. But now we know low-grade chronic inflammation plays a role, especially in joint pain and disease progression.
Inflammatory mediators are substances released by immune cells and other tissues in the body in response to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli. They trigger and regulate inflammation. In the case of osteoarthritis, ESWT shows promising effects on down regulating:
4. Cartilage Preservation and Regeneration
Emerging Evidence: Some studies suggest ESWT might stimulate cartilage-producing cells (chondrocytes) and help maintain cartilage integrity. "ESWT treatment can increase the activity of chondrocytes and decrease cartilage fissuring, as well as chondrocyte apoptosis," and "restoring the production of IL-10 and TNF-α in chondrocytes to normal levels."
Benefit: Chondrocytes are the only cells found in healthy cartilage, and their main job is to build, maintain, and repair cartilage tissue.
We deliver ESWT through the SoftWave device, which is the gold standard for shockwave therapy devices.
We use SoftWave therapy as a natural remedy for cartilage regeneration in combination with mobility work, strength training, and personalized performance plans to deliver results that last.
Our goals with SoftWave therapy:
SoftWave Therapy may be a great fit if you:
For knee osteoarthritis Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy presents a compelling natural remedy for cartilage regeneration, offering pain relief and functional improvement with a favorable safety profile.
At Stretch Affect, your movement health is our mission. If arthritis has been holding you back, let’s change that. Schedule a consultation and experience how SoftWave Therapy—combined with our hands-on, movement-first approach—can help you feel like yourself again.
We’ll assess your mobility, health history, and goals to determine if SoftWave is the right tool for your recovery journey.
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