The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries.
According to Müller-Wohlfahrt et al. (Muscle Injuries in Sports; Thieme, 2013) these conditions are summarized as overexertation-related muscle disorders (Type 1), a subgroup of the functional muscle disorders, and comprise fatigue-induced muscle disorders (Type 1a) and delayed-onset muscle soreness (Type 1b). These disorders must be carefully differentiated from structural muscle injury (Type 3 and 4), comprising partial muscle tears (Type 3) and subtotal/complete muscle tear or tendinous avulsion (Type 4), as well as from direct muscle injuries comprising contusion and laceration.
Prevention comprises warm-up before exercise and stretching when muscles are warmed up; treatment options comprise ice and heat (to increase blood flow to the painful area) as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).
Clinical trials confirming the effectiveness and safety of radial shock wave therapy (RSWT®) using the Swiss DolorClast® for acute and chronic muscle aches and pain with no pathological correlate of injuries are currently underway. Preliminary evidence indicating that RSWT® is effective and safe in the treatment of acute and chronic muscle aches and pain with no pathological correlate of injuries is based on anecdotal reports by many users of RSWT®.
READ ABSTRACTNumber of treatment sessions | 3 to 5 |
Interval between two sessions | 1 week |
Air pressure Evo Blue® | 2.5 to 4 bar |
Air pressure Power+ | 2 to 4 bar |
Impulses | 2,000 to 3,000 on the muscle |
Frequency | 8Hz to 12Hz |
Applicator | 15 mm or 36 mm |
Skin pressure | Light to moderate |