Summary
Dr. Ricky Singh interviews Dr. Jennifer Suhu, a sports medicine physician at Weill Cornell, about extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for tendon conditions. Dr. Suhu explains the difference between tendinitis and tendinopathy and how shockwave therapy promotes healing through acoustic waves that stimulate tissue repair without surgery. As both a clinician and a former collegiate soccer player who has treated her own injuries, Dr. Suhu provides a practitioner's perspective on integrating ESWT into sports medicine rehabilitation. The episode covers the mechanism of action behind shockwave therapy, including how focused and radial devices differ in their clinical applications. Dr. Singh shares his own experience as a patient receiving ESWT for tennis elbow and shoulder pain, noting remarkable improvements. They discuss how shockwave creates controlled microtrauma that triggers the body's natural healing response, making it a promising non-invasive option for chronic tendinopathies.
Key Points
- Shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves to stimulate tissue healing and disrupt pain pathways in injured tendons
- Tendinitis involves acute inflammation while tendinopathy reflects chronic degenerative changes in the tendon
- Focused shockwave penetrates deeper and treats a broader range of pathologies including bone conditions
- Radial pressure waves are lower energy and treat more superficial soft tissue injuries
- ESWT is non-invasive, does not require anesthesia, and can be performed in an outpatient setting
- Dr. Singh experienced remarkable results treating tennis elbow and shoulder pain with ESWT
- Patients should avoid NSAIDs during treatment to preserve the inflammatory healing cascade
Key Moments
Tendinitis vs tendinopathy and why ESWT works for chronic tendon issues
Dr. Suhu explains the key difference between tendinitis (acute inflammation) and tendinopathy (chronic degeneration), and why shockwave therapy is particularly effective for chronic tendon conditions where standard treatments have failed.
"So how I like to describe tendonitis is usually seen more in the acute setting. There usually is some type of injury or overload to the tendon that then causes some irritation or inflammation to the tendon, maybe a little tiny, tiny micro tears that cause pain, achiness and swelling."
How focused vs radial shockwave devices differ in clinical application
The difference between radial pressure waves and focused shockwave is explained. Radial devices create lower-energy diffuse pressure waves for soft tissue, while focused devices deliver higher-energy targeted sound waves that can treat bone, joints, and deeper structures.
"for treatment of tendons. So the radial device creates pressure waves, not shock waves, but pressure waves that are distributed in a broader distribution and are more helpful for superficial tissues and on muscles. The focus device is what's producing the true shock wave. And that..."
Dr. Singh's personal results with ESWT for tennis elbow and shoulder pain
Dr. Singh reveals he is a patient of Dr. Suhu, having received shockwave therapy for both tennis elbow and shoulder pain with remarkable results, providing a firsthand account of ESWT effectiveness.
"I am actually a patient of my guest who has been treating me for both tennis elbow and shoulder pain. And the results that I have achieved were remarkable. And I wanted to share that experience with you."
