The Effect of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Ning-Yi Guo, Si-Qi Wang, Wei Liu et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and network meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for various tendinopathies in a total of 3,921 cases across 65 studies. The analysis found that ESWT significantly improved pain and severity indicators in lateral epicondylitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and rotator cuff tendinopathy compared to placebo, with a notable effect size of SMD -2.53 for lateral epicondylitis versus ultrasound.
Key findings
- ESWT showed a significant improvement in VAS for lateral epicondylitis compared to ultrasound, SMD -2.53.
- In Achilles tendinopathy, ESWT versus placebo resulted in a SMD of -0.49.
- For rotator cuff tendinopathy, ESWT versus placebo had a SMD of -1.25.
- ESWT did not demonstrate significant efficacy over placebo in patellar tendinopathy.
Why it matters
Understanding the comparative effectiveness of ESWT for different types of tendinopathies can guide clinicians in treatment decisions, particularly in selecting appropriate conservative therapies for pain management and functional improvement.