Therapy explained
What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Direct answer
The direct answer
Shockwave therapy — properly called extracorporeal shockwave therapy, or ESWT — uses acoustic pressure waves generated outside the body and delivered through the skin into tissue. It is non-invasive, involves no incision and no anaesthesia, and is used mainly for chronic tendon and soft-tissue pain that has not settled with time, rest and conservative care.
The three device categories
Focused shockwave
Energy converges at a chosen depth, allowing higher intensity at a specific target. Used in much of the published orthopedic research.
Radial pressure wave
A pressure wave is created at the skin surface and disperses as it travels inward. Technically a pressure wave rather than a true shockwave, and widely studied.
Unfocused shockwave
A broad-field, lower-intensity wave spread across a wider treatment area. This is the category SoftWave® falls into.
These categories are frequently blurred together in marketing. They are not interchangeable, and neither is their research.
Where shockwave therapy has been studied most
The largest bodies of evidence involve plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, calcific and non-calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy, lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Knee osteoarthritis and various sports overuse injuries have smaller and more variable literature.
What it does not do
Shockwave therapy is not a cure, not a substitute for a diagnosis, and not appropriate for every source of pain. Structural problems, systemic conditions and injuries requiring surgical assessment need to be identified first — which is why the honest starting point is an examination, not a treatment purchase.
Educational information only. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis, treatment recommendation or promise of a result.
Common questions
What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave therapy, or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), uses acoustic pressure waves generated outside the body and delivered through the skin to tissue. It is non-invasive, does not require anaesthesia and is used mainly for chronic tendon and soft-tissue pain.
Does shockwave therapy actually work?
For several chronic tendon conditions, randomised trials and pooled analyses report meaningful pain reduction compared with control. Other high-quality trials have found no difference from sham treatment. The honest summary is that the evidence is promising in some conditions, mixed in others, and never a guarantee for an individual.
Is shockwave therapy the same as ultrasound or laser?
No. Ultrasound therapy uses continuous high-frequency sound energy and laser uses light energy. Shockwave uses short, high-amplitude acoustic pressure pulses, which is a mechanically different stimulus.
Who should not have shockwave therapy?
Providers generally avoid treating over open growth plates, malignancy, infection, or areas of active bleeding or anticoagulation concerns, and pregnancy is typically a contraindication. Screening for contraindications is part of the evaluation, which is why candidacy cannot be decided online.
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.