OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the Shock wave therapy (SWT) on functional improvements and reduction of pain, and what is rate of disappearance of calcifications after therapy at 6 month follow up. DATA SOURCES: Articles were searched from the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL and Ovid Database. STUDY SELECTION: We included randomized controlled trials from 1992 to 2011 and their quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies were evaluated by two independent reviewers for their methodological quality. If disagreement arose the plan was that it would be settled by a third reviewer. Then data were extracted and cross-checked for accuracy. The reviewers were not blinded to the authors of the articles. DATA SYNTHESIS: In studies of Hearnden, Hsu, Cacchio and Cosentino the resorption of calcifications was evaluate using meta-analysis because in them there were two groups of treatment, while the studies of Peters and Gerdesmeyer were analyzed descriptively because they considered three groups of treatment. Fixed and random effects models were used to meta-analyze total and partial resorption ratios and to assess heterogeneity the I2 statistics were calculated. CONCLUSIONS: We found a clinical improvement with a pooled total resorption ratio of 27.19 (95% CI 7.20 to 102.67) and a pooled partial resorption ratio of 16.22 (95% CI 3.33 to 79.01). SWT increases shoulder function, reduces pain, and it is effective in dissolving calcifications. These results were maintained over the following 6 months.

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