Extracorporeal shock waves were introduced to the medical industry approximately 25 years ago to disintegrate kidney stones and since this time shock waves have changed the treatment of urolithiasis substantially. Today shock waves are the first choice to treat kidney and ureteral stones.

Urology is not the only medical field for shock waves in medicine: Shock waves have been used in Orthopedics and Traumatology to treat insertion tendinitis, non- or delayed unions, avascular necrosis and various necrotic bone alterations. Another field of shock wave application is the treatment of tendons, ligaments and bones on horses in veterinary medicine. The idea of the shock wave therapy for orthopedic diseases is the stimulation of the healing processes in tendons, surrounding tissue and bones.

International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment ISMST