Selecting the right shockwave therapy device is crucial for providing effective treatments in your clinic. While all types offer a non-invasive, drug-free treatment option for injuries and chronic pain, the radial, focused, and broad-focused devices each excel in specific applications.
It’s important to understand the differences between these modalities and factors to consider when choosing which machine is best for your clinic. This will help ensure your investment aligns with your clinic’s requirements and patient needs.
How To Choose The Best Shockwave Therapy Device for Your Clinic
There are many benefits of shockwave therapy, offering a non-invasive, drug-free treatment method for injuries and chronic pain conditions. It is also particularly useful where conventional methods have shown no positive results or contraindications prevent their use.
Choosing which device is best for your clinic depends entirely on what conditions you treat the most, as each modality has specialized treatment areas in which it excels. Let’s examine this in more detail.
Focused, Radial, or Broad-Focused Waves?
Focused and radial are two main types of shockwave therapies, with a third method, broad-focused, that combines the two. Here’s a summary of what each does and what their uses are.
Focused Shockwave Therapy
Focused shockwave therapy (FSWT) uses electromagnetic currents to generate high-energy shockwaves that are able to penetrate deep into the tissues over a narrow focal area, making it useful for deeper, more localized injuries or chronic conditions. For instance, it works well with hip conditions, hamstrings, knee and joint conditions, bone fractures, non-unions, and calcifications. The depth is adjustable and can optimally penetrate 12cm deep, but is often adjustable from 2 to 30 cm. They’re also more comfortable than radial methods since they don’t produce a high impact at the applicator tip when applied to the skin. This makes them useful for patients with acute pain who can’t tolerate radial therapies for their superficial injuries since FSWT treatment depths can be adjusted to target shallower areas.
Radial Shockwave Therapy
Radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) uses a handheld applicator containing a projectile accelerated at high speeds using compressed air toward the applicator tip, where it collides and generates an energy pulse. That kinetic energy is the greatest at the tip and weakens as it travels away as a radial wave. This makes it a useful therapy for patients with conditions like carpal tunnel or tennis elbow that are closer to the skin, up to about 3-4cm deep. Since they spread radially from the surface, they’re also helpful for larger superficial areas. However, they can cause discomfort in some patients due to how they are applied.
Broad-Focused Shockwave Therapy
Broad-focused shockwave therapy is a new approach that combines the benefits of radial and focused methods in one machine. Broad-focused waves can target areas broader than FSWT and deeper than RSWT. This has numerous benefits since combining both treatment modalities often produces better results. While some will use broad-focused as a complete replacement for RSWT and FSWT, the energy waves produced are not as fast or deep as focused methods, so its usefulness at your clinic may depend on the conditions you treat.
Portability
All three devices are typically highly portable and can easily be moved from one room to another, improving clinic workflow. Some are designed specifically with portability in mind for mobile treatment situations.
Budget
FSWT machines generally cost more than radial machines because they are designed to deliver more precise, higher-intensity energy to a smaller area. Broad-focused therapies are more akin to RSWT because they use a lower intensity, so their cost should generally be between the other two.
Training
Regardless of which machine you purchase, training should be offered with it. Some distributors will come to your clinic, while others require you to send your practitioners to them.
Precision
When a precision area needs to be targeted, FSWT is the clear winner since it produces convergent waves for precision targeting. On the other hand, when a shallower, broader area needs to be targeted, the divergent waves of an RSWT machine may work best.
Versatility
Look for machines with versatility in treatment options tailored to your clinic's needs so you can get a good return on your investment. Since their effective depth is adjustable, FSWT can treat a much wider range of conditions than radial machines. Some claim that broad-focused machines are the most versatile since they offer the best of both; however, they’re typically considered to be more like radial therapy since the treatment is spread over a larger area. So, they may not work as well in cases where precision is essential.
FDA Clearance
Radial and focused machines started gaining FDA approval in the early 2000s, and many models are now available with FDA clearance. Broad-focused therapies are a newer player in the field, but some have gained FDA clearance. Using an FDA-approved model helps prevent risks to patients and improves patient outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are All Shockwave Machines the Same?
No, there are two main types of shockwave machines, and each operates using very different principles. Radial therapies produce divergent waves that treat larger and shallower areas. Focused machines use higher-energy convergent waves to target more precise areas that are deeper in the body.
What Is the Average Cost of a Shockwave Therapy Machine?
The average cost for a shockwave machine is between $20,000 and $40,000. However, less expensive models exist, and models with additional features can cost upward of $40,000.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the best shockwave therapy device for your clinic depends on which types of conditions you treat the most and, to some degree, your budget. Radial machines are ideal for superficial areas, focused devices excel in precision and depth, and broad-focused options provide versatility by combining both, although they may cost in precision. Also, consider portability, training, versatility, and FDA clearance to ensure the safety and effectiveness of treatments for your patients. For expert guidance and top-quality shockwave therapy devices, request a quote from Maven Imaging to equip your clinic with cutting-edge solutions.
