The Success Rate of Shock Wave in the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review

Abstract
Background: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is an effective and safe non-invasive treatment option for tendon and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
Aim of Study: To provide the physical therapist with an objective guideline about the success rate of shock wave in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Sources of data: PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane and science direct were searched from January 2007 till September 2017 for studies of any design investigating the effectiveness of ESWT in GTPS, PT, and AT. Citation tracking was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Animal and non-English lan-guage studies were excluded. A quality assessment was per-formed by 2 independent reviewers, and effect size calculations were computed when sufficient data were provided.
Results: The meta-analysis of the selected studies revealed significant effects of the shockwave on the ligament, tendon, muscle and joint disorders.
Conclusion: Shockwave either focused or radial has a significant effect in treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.