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Focused low-energy extracorporeal shock waves with distally symmetric polyneuropathy (DSPNP): A pilot study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lohse-Busch, H.a; * | Marlinghaus, E.b | Reime, U.a | Möwis, U.a

Affiliations: [a] Outpatient Department for Manual Medicine – Movement Disorder Center Rheintalklinik, Bad Krozingen, Germany | [b] Storz Medical AG, Tägerwilen, Switzerland

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: H. Lohse-Busch, Outpatient Department for Manual Medicine – Movement Disorder Center Rheintalklinik, Im Rheintal 5, D-79189 Bad Krozingen, Germany. Tel.: +49 7633 408 836; Fax: +49 7633 408 842; E-mail: lohse-busch@amm-rheintalklinik.de

Keywords: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, polyneuropathy, pain, walking kinematics, paraesthesia

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-141116

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 227-233, 2014

Published: 7 October 2014
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Abstract

Background:

Incidental observations led to the question whether ESWT could alleviate the still difficult-to-improve symptoms of DSPNP.

Methods:

In a pilot study, out of an original 24 patients with DSPNP, 10 patients with diabetes mellitus were excluded because of their inhomogeneous performances. Of the 14 patients remaining, 6 received one sham treatment at the beginning. All 14 patients were then treated with ESWT to the soles of the feet using the Duolith® shock wave generator (Storz Medical) 3 times weekly for 2 weeks. The assessments were carried out before and after the sham treatment, the first ESWT (question: before and after the first ESWT or only after?) and after 2, 4 and 8 weeks.

Results:

The placebo treatment did not influence pain or paraesthesia. After the 2 weeks of ESWT, intensity decreased from 100% to 23.6%, rising again after 8 weeks to 45.7% of the original state (p < 0.01). The placebo treatment did however have a great effect on walking abilities. The results of ESWT did not become significant until the 8th week. Step length improved by 14.6% (p < 0.001), walking speed by 24.8% (p < 0.001) and time of dual support during the stance phase of the gait declined by 12.2% (p < 0.009).

Conclusions:

Despite the small number of cases, it appears that ESWT can alleviate some of the symptoms of DSPNP.

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