Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is an increasingly popular treatment method for equine injuries. During a presentation at the 2011 Western Veterinary Conference, held Feb. 20-24 in Las Vegas, Nev., Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, discussed the basics of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and a few its common uses.

The Basics of Shock Wave Therapy

Before discussing the applications of shock wave therapy, McClure described the two types of devices used in the treatment: ones that emit true shock waves, and those that produce radial pressure waves.

McClure describe true shock waves (SWs) as "pressure waves that meet specific physical parameters including a rapid rise time (within nanoseconds), high peak pressure, and a more gradual decrease in pressure of a few milliseconds, often with a negative pressure component." Simply put, shock wave therapy aims a highly concentrated, powerful acoustical (sound) energy source to a focal area. He explained that the waves promote increased activity in bone-producing cells and might also boost circulation in the focal region. As a result, the focal area should heal more rapidly than if left untreated