The superior performance of EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves

A new comparative study between the EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves and the Storz MASTERPULS® 200 ultra shows significant differences in energy output at higher frequencies.

These differences were investigated in more detail in a recent comparative study by Nina Reinhardt and colleagues at the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen (Aachen, Germany).³ The authors of this study compared the latest devices: EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves and Storz MASTERPULS® 200 ultra. They found substantial differences in the total energy that can be applied to a patient.³

Why does this matter for practitioners? Because the latest basic science and clinical research have confirmed the importance of higher energy delivery for better treatment results. However, not all devices are able to deliver high energy.

New study comparing the EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves and Storz MASTERPULS® 200 ultra devices

This study analysed two rESWT devices and their energy output, based on a high-precision experimental set-up:

• EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves, with BLUE handpiece and 15 mm applicator
• Storz MASTERPULS® 200 ultra, with FALCON handpiece and 15 mm applicator

Both devices were used up to their highest energy output settings.

The results of this study showed that, as the frequency setting (pulse repetition rate) was increased, energy delivery varied between the two devices:

• Maximum energy delivery decreased sharply, by up to 90.9%, in the Storz Medical MASTERPULS® 200 ultra.
• However, it decreased only slightly, 18,8%, in the EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves device.

DolorClast radial shock waves deliver high energy at all frequencies 

The EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves device was able to deliver clinically relevant energy outputs at all frequency levels. This matters for clinical practice, since clinical results require sufficient energy to be delivered to the tissues.

Reinhardt et al. (2022) concluded that the energy levels reported by the manufacturer at 1 Hz cannot guarantee results at higher frequencies.³ The study showed that the EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves device ensures a high energy output at all frequency settings.

Where do the differences in energy delivery come from?

To obtain the best therapeutic results, high-energy shock wave therapy has proved to be the most efficient. The high energy delivery of the EMS DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves device is made possible by the combination of highly effective air management of the compressors and the exclusive design of the EVO BLUE and BLUE handpieces.⁴

EMS pushed physics to the limit to achieve maximum energy output at all frequencies, to successfully treat orthopaedic and sports medicine indications:

1. Exclusive 2-compressor technology delivers constant air pressure to the BLUE handpiece
2. Optimised air management in the handpiece for maximum projectile speed

The result is radial extracorporeal shock waves optimised to deliver stable, reproducible high energy to the treatment area. DolorClast® Radial Shock Waves delivers up to ten times more energy than the Storz MASTERPULS® 200 ultra.³

SOURCE

EMS

1) Schmitz C, Császár NB, Milz S, Schieker M, Maffulli N, Rompe JD, Furia JP. Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for orthopedic conditions: a systematic review on studies listed in the PEDro database. Br Med Bull 2015;116(1):115-38.

2) Császár NB, Angstman NB, Milz S, Sprecher CM, Kobel P, Farhat M, Furia JP, Schmitz C. Radial shock wave devices generate cavitation. PLoS One 2015;10(10):e0140541.

3) Reinhardt N, Wegenaer J, de la Fuente M. Influence of the pulse repetition rate on the acoustic output of ballistic pressure wave devices. Sci Rep 2022;12(1):18060.

4) Zhang YF, Liu Y, Chou SW, Weng H. Dose-related effects of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy for knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial. J Rehabil Med 2021;53(1):jrm00144.