Comparing the effectiveness of medium- and high-dose extracorporeal shockwave therapy against calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff

High-dose Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) effectively reduces calcium deposit size and pain scores and restores joint movement scope (JMS); however, it is frequently associated with pain as a side effect. There are no reports that medium-dose ESWT is as effective as high-dose ESWT. This was a double-blind, randomized clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of medium-dose ESWT with that of high-dose ESWT in patients with rotator cuff calcific tendonitis. Patients tendonitis aged 30-70 years, with visual analog scale scores of ≥4 were included in the study and randomly assigned to receive high-dose or medium-dose ESWT. ESWT was administered twice at a 2-week interval, and patients were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after therapy. Both groups exhibited significant differences in calcium deposit size, pain score, and JMS before therapy, immediately after therapy, and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after therapy (p < 0.05). There were no significant between-group differences in calcium deposit size, pain score, and JMS before therapy, immediately after therapy, and at all evaluation points thereafter (p > 0.05). All patients who received high-dose ESWT reported pain as a side effect, whereas 12.5% of patients who received medium-dose ESWT reported pain (p < 0.00). High-dose ESWT and medium-dose ESWT produce equivalent results; however, medium-dose ESWT was associated with fewer side effects.