Researchers at the Hull York Medical School are developing an innovative treatment using soundwaves to heal diabetic foot ulcers.
Diabetic foot ulcers are notoriously challenging to treat and often deteriorate which can lead to amputations.
By helping ulcers heal faster legs and lives could be saved.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive and low risk procedure.
The treatment involves delivering low energy soundwaves onto the ulcer bed via a gel paddle.
The treatment takes less than 10 minutes and most people with diabetic foot ulcers cannot feel the soundwaves. This means that people generally find it an acceptable and tolerable treatment.
A recent review of shockwave therapy found that diabetic foot ulcers treated with shockwave healed four weeks sooner than ulcers treated with standard care.
While this could revolutionise diabetic foot ulcer treatment, introducing shockwave therapy into routine care has challenges.
