Why We Chose EMS Shockwave Therapy: The Gold Standard in Evidence-Based Care

At Burwood Osteo & Rehab, we’re committed to using technology that genuinely improves patient outcomes, not just what’s new or popular. Having used Shockwave Therapy ourselves for our own rehab, we knew we had to bring Shockwave into the clinic to help our patients.

Simply put, Shockwave Therapy can help cut down the need for surgery, steroid injections, and medication. But “simply put” doesn’t really give you the full picture, and if you know us, you know we love diving into the research so you can get the best outcomes possible.

So let’s get into it!

1. The Original Evidence-Based Manufacturer

EMS were the ones who really kicked things off for radial shockwave therapy back in the late 1990s. They created the DolorClast®, the very first device built specifically for musculoskeletal injuries.

Since then, it’s basically become the shockwave machine everyone studies and talks about. It’s been used in over 100 peer-reviewed studies and is the device featured in all the major clinical trials that helped validate radial shockwave therapy.

So when you look at medical guidelines or big meta-analyses on plantar fasciitis, tendinopathy, calcific shoulder issues, or myofascial pain, the treatment settings they recommend? They almost always come from EMS research.

2. DolorClast® - The Gold Standard Shockwave Radial Device

Independent research has compared EMS with other shockwave brands for years, and the results are pretty clear. Study after study shows that EMS consistently delivers more stable energy, better pressure pulses, and more reliable treatment outcomes. In other words, what you set on the machine is actually what reaches the tissue… which isn’t always the case with other devices.

Why does that matter?

Because consistent energy = a consistent biological response = predictable results in the clinic.

The studies we are referring to:

• Reinhardt et al., 2022 - Scientific Reports Demonstrated that EMS maintains stable energy output even at higher frequencies (up to 25 Hz), while competitor devices can lose up to 90% of their power.

• Császár et al., 2015 - PLoS ONE Verified that the DolorClast produces true cavitation and clinically meaningful acoustic pressure pulses, not just vibration like massage guns.

• Gerdesmeyer et al., 2016 - Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Identified EMS-style shockwaves as the reference standard when defining the physical parameters of ESWT.

• Multiple Randomised Controlled Trials (2003-2020) Consistently show clinical effectiveness for tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis, Achilles and patellar pain, shoulder pathology, and bone healing using EMS parameters.

3. Biological and Clinical Benefits to Shockwave

Shockwave EMS provides:

• Strong mechanotransduction ie: promoting cell growth, collagen repair, and angiogenesis

• Effective cavitation without tissue damage

• Reproducible results. The energy you set is the energy delivered

Independent university labs, including LMU Munich and Hannover Medical School, consistently show that EMS delivers the most accurate, reproducible, and energy-efficient shockwaves available for musculoskeletal care.

That’s why we’ve chosen EMS for our patients, to give you the safest, most effective shockwave therapy possible.

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