Shockwave Therapy (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, ESWT) — often described as the sound of healing — has been increasingly discussed in physical therapy, including a recent feature in APTA Magazine.
Shockwave therapy uses high-energy sound waves to reach deep tissues through the skin.
It is not electrical stimulation and not heat therapy.
Instead, it delivers mechanical energy that triggers biological healing responses in the body.
Research suggests it may help increase local blood flow, stimulate cellular activity and tissue repair, and restart healing in tissues that are chronically inflamed, stiff, fibrotic, or simply no longer improving.
Clinically, shockwave therapy is commonly used for stubborn or long-standing conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles and other tendon issues, tennis or golfer’s elbow, chronic muscle or soft tissue pain, and post-surgical or post-cancer tissue fibrosis.
It is often considered when people feel like they have “tried everything” and recovery has plateaued.
But here’s the honest truth: shockwave therapy is not a painkiller, and it is not a stand-alone solution.
Its role is not to mask symptoms, but to re-activate the body’s own healing process.
The best results happen when shockwave therapy is used for the right condition, applied at the right dose, and — most importantly — combined with therapeutic exercise and hands-on physical therapy. When paired with skilled assessment, movement retraining, and manual care, shockwave therapy can become a meaningful turning point for conditions that have been difficult to resolve.
Not magic.
Not a quick fix.
But sometimes, a new path forward when healing feels stuck.
Want to book a session?
If you’ve been feeling stuck in your recovery,
shockwave therapy may be one piece of the puzzle with the right assessment and guidance.
Book your visit here and start your recovery journey!
