The effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy on bone mineral density and microarchitecture in animal models of osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The evidence is from animals only, which have different bone biology and turnover rates than humans. The studies were very small, with only three to four trials per outcome measure. There was significant variation in how the shockwave therapy was delivered, including different energy levels and treatment durations. Most included studies had a high or unclear risk of bias due to poor reporting on how animals were assigned to groups and whether assessors were blinded. No study systematically reported safety data or adverse events, so it is unknown if the treatment causes harm. The therapy was applied to limbs in the studies, but osteoporosis affects deep bones like the spine and hip, which are harder to treat with shockwaves.

The authors declared that no financial support was received for this work.

Do not interpret these improvements in animal bone density as evidence that shockwave therapy will treat osteoporosis in humans. The studies did not test the bones where fractures most commonly occur, such as the spine, and there is no data on whether the treatment is safe for people.