Comparison between shock wave therapy and mechanical massage for the treatment of cellulite in women

Introduction. To evaluate the effects of shock wave therapy on the fibrous septa of cellulite in Brazilian women. Methods. The sample consisted of 20 women with gluteal cellulite (grade iii) evaluated through protocols and ultrasound examinations before and after treatment. The volunteers were randomly distributed into treatment group (TG) and control group (CG). TG received shock wave therapy, while CG volunteers received vibratory massage. The shock wave parameters were: intensity of 3.5 bar, frequency of 21 Hz, and 1500 pulses per application. Both groups underwent 6 treatment sessions, 1 per week, of 30 minutes each. Results. data were analysed by the SPSS software, with a significance level of 5% and a 95% confidence interval. TG presented a significant reduction of septa in the right gluteus (p = 0.001) and left gluteus (p = 0.000). only the right gluteus revealed fat layer reduction (p = 0.043). There was no reduction in CG for these variables (p > 0.05). in the intergroup comparison, only the septum thickness measurement of the left gluteus showed some reduction, generating a significant value (p = 0.008). Although no change in the other variables was observed in any of the groups (p > 0.05), the participants reported improvement in quality of life. Conclusions. The shock wave protocol applied in this study significantly reduced the fat layer and cellulite septa.