title: Shockwave treatment for musculoskeletal diseases and bone consolidation: qualitative analysis of the literature.
abstract: Shockwave treatment is an option within orthopedics. The exact mechanism through which shockwaves function for treating musculoskeletal diseases is unknown. The aim of this study was to make a qualitative analysis on the effectiveness of shockwave treatment among patients with musculoskeletal pathological conditions and pseudarthrosis. Searches were conducted in the Cochrane Library, Medline and Lilacs databases. Thirty-nine studies that reported using shockwave treatment for musculoskeletal diseases were found. Their results varied greatly, as did the types of protocol used. The studies that evaluated the effectiveness of shockwave treatment for lateral epicondylitis, shoulder tendinopathy, knee osteoarthrosis, femoral head osteonecrosis and trochanteric bursitis reported inconsistent results for most of their patients. Those that evaluated patients with calcifying tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy and pseudarthrosis showed benefits. Shockwave treatment is a safe and non-invasive method for chronic cases in which conventional techniques have been unsatisfactory and should be used in association with other treatment methods for tendinopathy. Further quality studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ortopedia, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kertzman
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedrinelli
authors.affiliation: Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Benno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ejnisman
keywords: Evaluation studies as subject; High-energy shockwaves; Musculoskeletal diseases; Peer review; Pseudarthrosis; Tendinopathy