Save your hands! If you’re a medical practitioner that uses vibration therapy in your practice, then you know how paralyzing using it for too long can be — pain, tingling, numbness, and more. There’s a term for that: white finger syndrome.
Shockwave therapy is no stranger to white finger syndrome. Because of the vibrations involved with treatment, some shockwave devices can only be operated safely for a limited amount of time.
However, with the right shockwave therapy machine for your practice, you can find a solution. Did you know that different shockwave manufacturers have different operational limits?
A shockwave device with a longer limit will allow you to see more patients without sacrificing your health, in turn increasing your revenue potential.
You need to know the difference to get your time and your hands back.
Comparing Shockwave Therapy Machines
Machine A
- The handpiece is not designed for continuous operation.
- After a maximum of 6,000 shocks, a break of 15 minutes must be observed by operators.
- The maximum treatment time is limited to four minutes, followed by a break of at least 15 minutes. If the treatment time is exceeded, the handpiece may overheat.
- Note of caution included in the operation manual: “Despite the high level of self-damping provided by the weight and the design of the handpiece, vibrations may cause strain to the hand of the user.”
Machine B
- Hearing protection is recommended
- No more than 300 shocks to same area
- Extended skin contact can lead to burns
Storz Medical Shockwave Therapy Machine
- Use is permitted for well over a working day.
- This far longer than most other radial pressure systems on the market.
With Storz technology, practitioners don’t have to worry about shockwave therapy side effects for patients or practitioners. Storz has put extensive time and effort into research and development, which many comparable manufacturers simply have not done.
Additionally, with Storz technology, most patients only require three treatment sessions of about four minutes each — so it is safer for both the practitioner and the patient.
Some of our clients working for professional sports teams use our devices all day long treating athletes with no side effects.
If you’re in this field, or looking to increase your time of use, a machine that limits white finger syndrome isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a must have.
How to Verify Shockwave Machine Quality
Check the quality of your shockwave therapy machine before purchasing a machine. It could just save your hands.
- Ask a manufacturer for a copy of their operations manual before purchasing a machine. Look through it carefully for precautions, warnings, and dangers. This will flag potential issues.
- Verify if the manufacturer is FDA approved.
- Ask where machine parts come from. Some shockwave devices, like ours at Shockwave Canada, are Swiss-made by Storz Medical. But some others get their parts outsourced, so they are not as high-quality. Others still take parts from many manufacturers and piece them together for a Frankenstein’s Monster-type of device.
Protect your patients, your practice, and yourself by doing this legwork before purchasing!
Our Swiss-produced machines are handmade for ergonomic excellence.
Contact us today to learn more about our shockwave machine safety. Call 1 (888) 741-SHOC(7462) or visit www.shockwavecanada.com.