--- title: "Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes. | Sutter Health" description: "Study results demonstrated that RSW can be a viable treatment of certain symptomatic sesamoid pathologies and considered a valid alternative to surgery." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/radial-soundwave-sesamoidopathy-athletes-1055312521" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes. # Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes: a pilot study. Saxena A, Yun A, Patel R, Gerdesmeyer L, & Maffulli N. _J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(16)30186-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2016.07.024. \[Epub ahead of print\] Send to_ 2016-09-08 ## Abstract The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of radial soundwave therapy (RSW) for the management of sesamoiditis, symptomatic bipartite sesamoids, and avascular necrosis in athletic patients. The data from 10 patients undergoing RSW for sesamoiditis were retrospectively studied. Three treatments at 2.4 Bar and 13 Hz, for a total of 2500 pulses in each session, were administered to the affected sesamoid approximately 1 week apart. The Roles and Maudsley score and the visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess disability and pain. An overall improvement was seen in reported pain after RSW. The pretreatment VAS score was 5.9 ± 1.7 and the post-treatment VAS score improved to 2.3 ± 2.4 (p = .0001). The activity pretreatment Roles and Maudsley score was 3.1 ± 0.3 and the post-treatment score was 1.5 ± 0.7 (p = .00003). All but 1 of the patients (90%) reported some or complete relief of pain. The mean time to return to activity was 10.1 ± 15.6 weeks, although this value was biased by 1 patient requiring 1 year to return to activity. Eliminating this patient, the average time to return to activity was 5.4 ± 5.6 weeks. Three patients in the cohort did not have to stop their desired activity at all, including 1 gymnast and 1 runner. Of these 3 patients, 2 (20% of all patients) reported complete relief of pain (VAS score of 0) after treatment. The third patient experienced a significant decrease in pain, with the VAS score, improving from 7 to 1. The results of the present study have demonstrated that RSW can be a viable treatment of certain symptomatic sesamoid pathologies and can be considered a valid alternative to surgery. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27618711) ## Research topics - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Electromagnetic transduction therapy for Achilles tendinopathy: a preliminary report on a new technology.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/electromagnetic-tranduction-tx-achilles-tendinopathy-1055312492) Gerdesmeyer L, Saxena A, Klueter T, Harrasser N, Fullem B, Krath A. J Foot Ankle Surg. 56(5):964-967. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.06.014. 2017 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Vibration and pressure wave therapy for calf strains: a proposed treatment.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/vibration-pressure-wave-tx-calf-strains-1055312323) Saxena A, St Louis M, Fournier M. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 3(2):60-2. doi: 10.11138/mltj/2013.3.2.060. Print 2013 Apr. 2013 Jul 09 - Publication ### [Fifth metatarsal fractures.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/fifth-metatarsal-fractures-1055312297) Berlet GC, Olms K, Saxena A. Foot Ankle Spec. 7(2):127-34. doi: 10.1177/1938640014524399. Epub 2014 Feb 26. 2014 Apr 01 - Publication ### [Birth and evolution of chiselling and drilling techniques for removing ear canal exostoses.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/chiseling-drilling-techniques-remove-ear-exostoses-1055312313) Mudry A, Hetzler D. 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J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(16)30162-4. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2016.06.006. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Sep 15 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/radial-soundwave-sesamoidopathy-athletes-1055312521#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/radial-soundwave-sesamoidopathy-athletes-1055312521#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes: a pilot study.","headline":"Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes.","abstract":"The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of radial soundwave therapy (RSW) for the management of sesamoiditis, symptomatic bipartite sesamoids, and avascular necrosis in athletic patients. The data from 10 patients undergoing RSW for sesamoiditis were retrospectively studied. Three treatments at 2.4 Bar and 13 Hz, for a total of 2500 pulses in each session, were administered to the affected sesamoid approximately 1 week apart. The Roles and Maudsley score and the visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess disability and pain. An overall improvement was seen in reported pain after RSW. The pretreatment VAS score was 5.9 ± 1.7 and the post-treatment VAS score improved to 2.3 ± 2.4 (p = .0001). The activity pretreatment Roles and Maudsley score was 3.1 ± 0.3 and the post-treatment score was 1.5 ± 0.7 (p = .00003). All but 1 of the patients (90%) reported some or complete relief of pain. The mean time to return to activity was 10.1 ± 15.6 weeks, although this value was biased by 1 patient requiring 1 year to return to activity. Eliminating this patient, the average time to return to activity was 5.4 ± 5.6 weeks. Three patients in the cohort did not have to stop their desired activity at all, including 1 gymnast and 1 runner. Of these 3 patients, 2 (20% of all patients) reported complete relief of pain (VAS score of 0) after treatment. The third patient experienced a significant decrease in pain, with the VAS score, improving from 7 to 1. 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