Softwave Shockwave Therapy can help slow Knee Arthritis

Translating Rabbit Data to Humans: Can ESWT Slow Knee OA in People?

Did you know that Dr. Lindeman brought Softwave shockwave therapy into Lindeman Chiropractic in Broomfield, CO because of the amazing experience he had with the therapy? He was told at quite a young age that he would need a knee replacement. He had stem cell injections, PRP injections, PT, and more with minimal results. He then underwent Softwave therapy and experienced revolutionary improvement! Watch this video for more:

Recent studies confirm this experience:

🧪 From Rabbits to Humans: What We’ve Learned

• In the rabbit model (Zhao et al., 2012), extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) lowered synovial nitric oxide (NO) levels, reduced chondrocyte apoptosis, and slowed cartilage degeneration compared to untreated OA kneesPMCe-arm.org.

• These effects suggest a potential disease-modifying role beyond pain relief—a major advantage over most current therapies.

🏥 What Human Trials Reveal

Low to Medium‑Energy ESWT Trials—Pain & Function Outcomes

• A low‑dose ESWT protocol (4 weeks) improved pain and function in mild-to-moderate knee OA vs. placebo, though some concern arose about negative effects on cartilage in that studyScienceDirect.

• Medium‑energy ESWT protocols showed greater and longer pain relief and functional gains than low-energy versions, per a randomized trial using VAS, WOMAC, and other functional indices.

Meta‑Analyses & Reviews

• A meta-analysis of 14 trials involving ~780 patients found both radial (r‑ESWT) and focused (f‑ESWT) significantly improved pain and function short-term compared to sham, though less effective in advanced OAMDPIScienceDirectPMC.

• Another systematic review confirmed ESWT’s superiority over placebo, corticosteroid, HA, medication, and ultrasound, especially for improving pain and functionPMC.

Focused vs. Radial ESWT

• Clinical trials directly comparing f‑ESWT (deeper, focused waves) and r‑ESWT (more superficial) found both effective—but f‑ESWT achieved greater reductions in pain scores, WOMAC, and walking performance over 4–8 weeks.

🧩 Ongoing & Upcoming Clinical Studies

• A recently registered pilot randomized controlled trial (NCT05596591) is comparing f‑ESWT against standard care in knee osteoarthritis with bone marrow lesions detectable on MRI. Results are pendingtrials.arthritis.orgcenterwatch.com.

• Another upcoming trial focuses on radial ESWT versus sham, evaluating pain, physical function, and bone metabolism biomarkers over 4 weekstrialsjournal.biomedcentral.com.

🧭 Clinical Interpretation & Outlook

• Animal data suggest ESWT can alter disease biology by reducing cartilage-degrading inflammation and cell death.

• In humans, ESWT is a strong non-invasive therapy for symptom improvement—particularly medium-energy and focused shockwave protocols. But its disease-modifying potential remains unproven clinically.

• To evaluate if ESWT actually slows structural progression, future trials need to include:

  • Imaging endpoints (cartilage volume, bone marrow lesions).

  • Biomarkers such as synovial NO or apoptosis markers.

  • Follow-up of 6 months or more.

  • Dose-finding studies to identify optimal energy/shock parameters.

🧠 Take‑Home Message

👣 So far, rabbit data show ESWT may reduce cartilage degradation at the molecular level. 🌟 Modern clinical trials consistently demonstrate pain and function benefits in knee OA patients, with focus-wave protocols performing best short-term.

Come see for yourself this revolutionary therapy and get back to living the life you deserve!