The role of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the combined restorative treatment of the patients presenting with myofascial pain syndrome

Abstract

The myofascial pain syndromes (MPS) is ranked among the most frequent clinical manifestations of acute and chronic pain in the lumbar region. The authors of the article undertook the analysis of scientific publications from the Pubmed, Medline, and Scopus databases that appeared during the recent years. The analysis has demonstrate that extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) can be considered as a method of choice to be used in the framework of the complex programs of the treatment and rehabilitation of the condition of interest. The specific etiopathogenetic features of ESWT are considered in terms of the contemporary views with special reference to their influence on the choice of the treatment strategies and concrete methods for the treatment of the myofascial pain syndromes. It is shown that extracorporeal shock wave therapy makes it possible to enhance the blood flow and circulation and increase the permeability of cell membranes thereby facilitating the activation of the regenerative processes in the structural elements of the vertebral-motor segment undergoing the dystrophic changes. Moreover, ESWT produces the anti-inflammatory effects and causes muscle relaxation. There is strong evidence of the possibility to use such modern modalities of manual needs tlomethods of ESWT and manual therapy in patients with MFBS that requires further research. The expected effects of the combined application of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and manual therapy for the treatment of the patients presenting with myofascial pain syndrome remain to be verified in the further studies.