Featuring SoftWave® Technology
Shockwave Therapy for Iowa City
Explore a non-invasive treatment option for stubborn musculoskeletal pain, injuries and soft-tissue problems — available nearby at Total Health Chiropractic in Coralville.
No needles. No surgery. Treatment recommendations depend on individual evaluation.
Serving Iowa City, Coralville and surrounding Johnson County communities from Total Health Chiropractic's Coralville clinic.
Sound familiar?
Still Hurting?
- You rested it.
- You iced it.
- You stretched it.
- You changed shoes.
- You stopped running.
- You took time off.
- You tried massage.
- You waited.
And it's still there.
When pain keeps returning, the question becomes: why isn't this getting better?
Long-standing tendon and soft-tissue problems often stop behaving like simple inflammation. They become a tissue that has not completed a normal repair response — which is why rest alone tends to postpone the problem rather than resolve it.
SoftWave® therapy is one treatment option that may be considered after an evaluation. It is not a guarantee, and it is not appropriate for everyone.
How SoftWave WorksDefinition
What Is SoftWave Therapy?
Direct answer
What is SoftWave therapy?
SoftWave® is a brand of extracorporeal shockwave therapy device used in musculoskeletal care. It delivers acoustic shockwaves through the skin into tissue, without needles, incisions or anaesthesia.
It is used in the treatment of soft-tissue and tendon-related problems. Whether it may be considered for a specific person and condition depends on an evaluation.
- Non-invasive — delivered through the skin
- No needles and no surgical incision
- Acoustic shockwave technology, not laser and not therapeutic ultrasound
- Used within musculoskeletal and soft-tissue care
- Treatment recommendations depend on the condition and the individual
- Evaluation determines candidacy — not a website and not a quiz
Comparison
Is SoftWave the Same as Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a broad category. SoftWave is one specific technology within it. Devices differ in how they generate acoustic energy and how that energy spreads through tissue.
| Approach | How energy is produced | Energy distribution | Commonly discussed use |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoftWave® | Electrohydraulic generation of acoustic shockwaves | Broad treatment area rather than a single narrow focal point | Soft-tissue and tendon-related musculoskeletal care |
| Focused shockwave | Electrohydraulic, electromagnetic or piezoelectric sources | Energy converges toward a defined focal zone at depth | Deeper or well-localised targets, e.g. calcific shoulder tendinitis |
| Radial pressure wave | Typically pneumatic — a projectile strikes an applicator | Pressure wave disperses outward; energy highest near the surface | More superficial soft-tissue targets |
We do not claim SoftWave is universally superior to other shockwave technologies. Head-to-head comparative research between specific commercial devices is limited, and study results from one device type should not be assumed to transfer to another.
Condition finder
Where Does It Hurt?
Start with the area, then read what is actually known about shockwave therapy for that problem — including where the evidence is weak.
Foot & Heel
Achilles
Knee
Shoulder
Hip
Sports & Soft Tissue
Common reasons people search
Four problems that bring people here
Plantar Fasciitis That Won't Go Away?
Morning heel pain, pain after sitting, pain standing all day, and running that keeps getting cut short. Learn why it persists and where shockwave therapy fits.
Explore Shockwave for Plantar FasciitisKnee Pain Keeping You From Moving?
Stairs, squats, running, getting up from a chair. Knee pain has multiple possible causes, and SoftWave is not automatically appropriate for every knee condition.
Explore Shockwave for Knee PainShoulder Pain Every Time You Reach, Lift or Sleep?
Overhead movement, sleeping on that side, gym work, throwing. The strongest shoulder evidence is in chronic calcific rotator cuff tendinitis.
Explore Shockwave for Shoulder PainTennis Elbow Isn't Just for Tennis Players.
Repetitive gripping, lifting, work-related overuse. The research here genuinely conflicts, and we walk through both sides of it.
Explore Shockwave for Elbow PainActive adults
For People Who'd Rather Get Back to Doing Something.
Runners, golfers, cyclists, lifters, pickleball players, weekend warriors and active adults who are tired of planning their week around one body part.
What people actually want back is specific: running, walking without calculating the distance, working out, a full round of golf, playing with their kids, and moving without constantly thinking about pain.
We won't promise you any of that. What this site can do is explain the option clearly, show you what the research says and does not say, and help you decide whether an evaluation is worth your time.
The process
What Happens During a SoftWave Session?
Four steps, described honestly. We deliberately do not publish visit counts or protocols — those are set by the clinic after evaluating you.
Evaluation
History, examination and a discussion of what has already been tried. This is where candidacy is actually determined.
Identify the treatment area
The clinician identifies the tissue and area involved, and whether shockwave therapy is appropriate at all.
SoftWave treatment
Acoustic shockwaves are delivered through the skin with a handheld applicator. Most people describe tapping or pressure.
Continue the recommended plan
Session frequency and any accompanying rehabilitation are set by the clinic based on your response — not by this website.
Direct answer
Does shockwave therapy hurt?
Most people describe the sensation as tapping, pulsing or pressure. Mild discomfort may occur during or after treatment, and sensation varies by person, by body area and by device settings.
We will not describe it as completely painless or promise instant relief — neither would be accurate.
Direct answer
Not every shockwave device is the same.
Devices differ in how they generate acoustic energy — electrohydraulic, electromagnetic, piezoelectric or pneumatic — and in whether energy converges at a focal point, spreads broadly, or dissipates from the surface.
Those differences are why research on one device does not automatically describe another.
Evidence
What Does the Research Say About Shockwave Therapy?
Real studies, plain-English summaries, and the limitations stated openly — including trials that found no benefit.
JAMA · 2002
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for plantar fasciitis: randomised controlled multicentre trial
A multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing shockwave therapy with sham treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis. It found no statistically significant difference between the groups on its primary pain and function outcomes.
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · 2015
Clinically relevant effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis: a randomized, controlled multicenter study
A randomised, sham-controlled multicenter study of focused shockwave therapy in chronic plantar fasciitis that had not responded to conservative care. Patients receiving active treatment reported greater reductions in heel pain than the sham group at follow-up.
The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery · 2006
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy versus placebo for the treatment of chronic proximal plantar fasciitis: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, multicenter intervention trial
A double-blinded, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial in chronic proximal plantar fasciitis. The active treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in heel pain versus placebo at follow-up.
The people
Meet the SoftWave Team
Treatment featured on this site is delivered by the team at Total Health Chiropractic in Coralville.
Tawni Gentzler
Head SoftWave Technician & Chiropractic Assistant
Tawni Gentzler is the head SoftWave technician and a chiropractic assistant at Total Health Chiropractic in Coralville, where SoftWave® treatment featured on this site is delivered.
Dr. Dillon Hammes, DC
Doctor of Chiropractic
Dr. Dillon Hammes, DC practises at Total Health Chiropractic in Coralville, the clinic where SoftWave® treatment featured on this site is provided.
Location
SoftWave Therapy Near Iowa City
Serving Iowa City, Coralville and surrounding Johnson County communities from Total Health Chiropractic's Coralville clinic.
Treatment is provided at
Total Health Chiropractic
2201 E. Grantview Dr. #202
Coralville, IA 52241
(319) 338-7025
Iowa City Shockwave is an educational resource, not a separate clinic. There is no Iowa City treatment address.
FAQ
Straight answers, first
What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave therapy — properly called extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) — uses acoustic pressure waves generated outside the body and delivered into tissue through the skin. It is non-invasive, uses no needles and no incisions, and has been studied mainly in chronic tendon and soft-tissue conditions.
What is SoftWave?
SoftWave® is a specific brand of shockwave device used in musculoskeletal care. It produces acoustic shockwaves electrohydraulically and distributes energy across a broad treatment area rather than concentrating it at a single deep focal point. It is one technology within the wider shockwave category.
Is SoftWave the same as shockwave therapy?
Not exactly. Shockwave therapy is the broad category; SoftWave is one specific technology within it. Devices differ in how they generate acoustic energy and how that energy is distributed through tissue, so research on one device does not automatically transfer to another.
Does shockwave therapy hurt?
Most people describe the sensation as tapping, pulsing or pressure. Sensation varies by person, by body area and by device settings, and mild discomfort may occur during or after treatment. It would be inaccurate to describe it as completely painless for everyone.
Where can I get SoftWave near Iowa City?
Treatment featured on this site is provided at Total Health Chiropractic, 2201 E. Grantview Dr. #202, Coralville, IA 52241 — serving Iowa City, Coralville and surrounding Johnson County communities. Iowa City Shockwave is an educational resource, not a separate clinic.
See if SoftWave therapy is worth exploring for your pain.
Candidacy is determined by evaluation — not by a website. Start with the quiz or call the clinic directly.
Serving Iowa City, Coralville and surrounding Johnson County communities from Total Health Chiropractic's Coralville clinic.