Shock wave therapy versus conventional physical therapy for partial-thickness forearm burn scars: A randomized controlled trial.
BurnsJun 16, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Hany M Elgohary, Heba M Elfeky, Ahmed M Elfahl
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of shock wave therapy (SWT) compared to conventional physical therapy for treating partial-thickness forearm burn scars in 70 patients aged 20-55. Results indicated that SWT led to significantly greater improvements in pain and scar appearance, with a VAS pre-post confidence interval of (4.70, 6.36) for SWT versus (4.19, 6.86) for conventional therapy.
Key findings
- SWT showed a VAS pre-post confidence interval of (4.70, 6.36) compared to (4.19, 6.86) for conventional therapy.
- Significant improvements in VSS were observed with η²p values of 0.80 for SWT.
- The BSHS pre-post confidence interval for SWT was (26.23, 106.66) versus (28.07, 105.23) for conventional therapy.
- SWT demonstrated a substantial intervention impact with η²p values of 0.85 for BSHS.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that shock wave therapy may offer a more effective treatment option for improving pain and appearance in patients with partial-thickness burn scars, potentially enhancing their quality of life.