Radial pressure wave therapy
A clinic device that delivers rapid mechanical pressure pulses through the skin, commonly used for stubborn tendon pain.
Radial pressure wave therapy — often grouped with 'shockwave' treatments — uses a handheld applicator to fire rapid mechanical pulses into the skin over a painful tendon or muscle. The pressure wave spreads outward from the contact point, which distinguishes it from focused shockwave devices that concentrate energy at depth.
It is most commonly offered for chronic tendinopathies such as jumper's knee, tennis elbow and Achilles problems, on the theory that mechanical stimulation may provoke a healing response in tissue that has stopped adapting.
In practice it is almost always used as an adjunct to exercise-based rehabilitation rather than a standalone treatment. Trial results have been mixed, and a recurring question is whether apparent benefits reflect the device itself or other differences between treated and untreated groups.
Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale, MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
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