Short-Wave Diathermy: A Review of Existing Clinical Trials

This paper reviews the clinical trials investigating the efficacy of short-wave diathermy (SWD) in the management of various conditions. SWD is a form of electromagnetic radiation used therapeutically in either a continuous or pulsed mode. Research has found that, although the popularity of this equipment has declined recently, it is still widely available. The efficacy of this modality is questionable. Few clinical trials have been conducted in the past 10–15 years. The quality of other available studies is varied, with many lacking objective outcome measures and appropriate design structure. A critical appraisal of the literature available on the use of SWD in the treatment of pain, soft-tissue injuries, rheumatology conditions, wound healing and a selection of other conditions is provided. It is concluded that SWD appears to be effective in the treatment of some conditions, but further controlled trials are necessary to provide confirmation.