Efficacy of Extracorporeal Pulse-Activated Therapy in the Management of Lower-Extremity Running-Related Injuries: Findings From a Large Case Cohort.

Abstract

Running is one of the most popular sports worldwide, with many health benefits. Injuries are also common, with running-related injuries reported in up to 79% of runners annually. Extracorporeal shockwave treatment can be used to treat soft tissue conditions, with the strongest level of evidence for management of plantar fasciitis. However, most studies have focused on nonathletes or studied a single condition, and few investigations have reported outcomes for extracorporeal pulse-activated therapy. In this case series, we evaluated the outcomes of 94 runners receiving extracorporeal pulse-activated therapy for lower-extremity running-related injuries, including plantar fasciitis and lower-extremity tendinopathy (Achilles, posterior tibialis, patellar, hamstring). We hypothesized that most runners with foot and ankle injuries would respond favorably to treatment and that success rates would be similar across conditions. Overall, 74 runners (79%) met their respective minimal clinically important difference for functional outcome measures, with no differences in response by age, sex, body mass index, or chronicity of condition. Further, no differences were noted in proportion achieving the minimal clinically important difference between foot and ankle (Achilles, posterior tibialis, and plantar fascia) compared with proximal injuries (53 [84.3%] versus 31 [72%], p = .15). A mean of 4 treatments resulted in achieving the minimal clinically important difference, with 95% achieving it by 5 treatments. No differences in bars of pressure, frequency, or other aspects of treatments were observed to predict response. Our findings suggest that a majority of runners with lower-extremity injuries respond favorably to extracorporeal pulse-activated therapy, including those with foot and ankle injuries.