Extracorporeal shockwave therapy as a novel and potential treatment for degenerative cartilage and bone disease: Osteoarthritis. A qualitative analysis of the literature

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized with pathological changes on articular cartilage and subchondral bone, with clinical symptoms of pain and motor dysfunction in affected joints. A growing number of investigations demonstrated the therapeutic effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on joints with OA. While the partial mechanisms of action are based on cellular mechanotransduction through cytoskeleton into nuclei to regulate gene expression and cause biophysical influences, the efficacy and exact mechanisms are still under exploration. At present, a summary of the evidence regarding effectiveness of ESWT on OA is not available. The purpose of this review is thus to offer an overview of ESWT in the management of OA in the aspects of cartilage, subchondral bone, pain sensation and motor function, in hopes of eliciting further multi-disciplinary scientific investigations into this promising application as an adjunct to other modalities or surgery. The optimal frequencies, impulses, energy intensity and protocols of ESWT in the management of OA continue to be elucidated. Further studies are required to reveal its exact mechanisms and biophysical effects on cells, animals and humans prior to the clinical application.