Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Treatment Protocol for Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinitis Using a Single-Crystal Piezoelectric Focused Shock Wave Source
Published on: December 23, 2022
Effectiveness of radial shock-wave therapy for calcific tendinitis of the shoulder: single-blind, randomized clinical
Angelo Cacchio1, Marco Paoloni, Antonio Barile
1Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Unità Operativa di Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione, Ospedale San Salvatore di L'Aquila, via L. Natali 1, 67100 Coppito-L'Aquila, Italy. angelo.cacchio@tin.it
Background And Purpose:
Radial shock-wave therapy (RSWT) is a pneumatically generated, low- to medium-energy type of shock-wave therapy. This single-blind, randomized, "less active similar therapy"-controlled study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of RSWT for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.
Subjects:
Ninety patients with radiographically verified calcific tendinitis of the shoulder were tested.
Methods:
Subjects were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n=45) or a control group (n=45). Pain and functional level were evaluated before and after treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. Radiographic modifications in calcifications were evaluated before and after treatment.
Results:
The treatment group displayed improvement in all of the parameters analyzed after treatment and at the 6-month follow-up. Calcifications disappeared completely in 86.6% of the subjects in the treatment group and partially in 13.4% of subjects; only 8.8% of the subjects in the control group displayed partially reduced calcifications, and none displayed a total disappearance.
Discussion And Conclusion:
The results suggest that the use of RSWT for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is safe and effective, leading to a significant reduction in pain and improvement of shoulder function after 4 weeks, without adverse effects.
