Shockwave Therapy Enhances Muscle Performance in Athletes
Title: Influence of medical shock waves on healthy muscle tissue
Author: Kenneth Craig, Cristina Maria D’Agostino, Wolfgang Schaden, Pep Karalus, Leigh Grant
The use of shockwave therapy (SWT) has been a successful treatment for sports injuries for over a decade. This study aimed to determine the effects of SWT on healthy muscle tissue in athletes. Four golfers and weightlifters were recruited for the study, and they underwent two sessions of SWT at two-week intervals. The effects of SWT on muscle performance were measured using sport-specific metrics.
The results showed that SWT had a positive influence on muscle output and performance in both weightlifting and golf. In golf, there was an increase in swing speed, club-ball interface, and ball distance. In weightlifting, there was a significant increase in back-squat scores, and a reduced muscle expenditure was required to complete the task.
SWT has been shown to modulate a favourable biocellular and molecular response in muscle tissue, offering the potential to reduce or even prevent overuse syndromes in sports. The findings of this study suggest that SWT may enhance athletic performance and reduce the risk of injuries.