Low-energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy improves locomotor functions, tissue regeneration, and modulating the inflammation induced FGF1 and FGF2 signaling to protect damaged tissue in spinal cord injury of rat model: an experimental animal study

This is an exciting preclinical study that adds to the growing body of evidence supporting shockwave therapy's regenerative potential beyond its traditional musculoskeletal applications. The key takeaway is that dosing matters - three weekly treatments outperformed a single session across virtually every measure, from walking ability to cellular-level markers of inflammation and nerve health. While this is an animal study and we cannot directly apply these findings to human patients, the mechanisms being studied (reducing inflammation, protecting nerve cells, preventing excessive scarring) are highly relevant to human spinal cord injury. The use of low-energy settings (0.13 mJ/mm²) is particularly noteworthy, as it suggests therapeutic benefits can be achieved without the risks associated with higher-energy protocols. For patients interested in shockwave therapy for other conditions, this research reinforces the broader principle that this technology may have wide-ranging regenerative applications that science is only beginning to understand.