Comparison 1. Shock wave therapy (ESWT) versus placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Proportion of participants with ≥ 50% improvement in pain	1	74	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.10 [0.62, 1.94]
2 Mean pain (various scales, lower score indicates less pain)	9		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 6 weeks	6	304	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.10 [‐3.58, ‐0.62]
2.2 3 months	9	608	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.95 [‐3.45, ‐0.44]
2.3 6 months	5	419	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.53 [‐3.49, 0.43]
2.4 12 months	3	155	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐2.42 [‐5.79, 0.95]
3 Mean function (various scales)	11		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 6 weeks	7	374	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.79 [0.30, 1.28]
3.2 3 months	9	612	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.13, 1.11]
3.3 6 months	7	486	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.91 [0.24, 1.57]
3.4 12 months	3	155	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.45 [‐0.21, 3.12]
4 Treatment success	6	287	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.59 [0.87, 2.91]
5 Withdrawals due to adverse events and treatment intolerance	7	581	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.43, 1.31]
6 Total withdrawals	8	621	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.52, 1.07]
7 Proportion of participants with adverse events	5	295	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	3.61 [2.00, 6.52]
8 Calcification size (complete resolution)	3	159	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	4.78 [1.31, 17.39]
9 Calcification size (partial resolution)	3	159	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	3.41 [0.95, 12.23]
10 Mean or change in mean calcification width (mm)	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
10.1 3 months	1	88	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐24.00 [‐85.77, 33.77]
10.2 6 months	1	87	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐36.7 [‐94.86, 21.46]
10.3 12 months	2	122	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐21.76 [‐60.99, 17.46]
11 Subgroup analysis: pain (various scales, lower score indicates less pain)	9		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
11.1 Calcification	5	256	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.59 [‐1.33, 0.14]
11.2 No calcification	5	253	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.39 [‐0.70, ‐0.09]
12 Subgroup: function (various scales, higher score is better function)	9		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
12.1 Calcification	5	260	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.84 [‐0.20, 1.89]
12.2 No calcification	5	253	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.29 [‐0.04, 0.61]