What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment used in chiropractic care to help relieve pain, improve mobility, and support the body’s natural healing process. It uses targeted acoustic waves to stimulate tissue repair in areas affected by chronic pain, inflammation, or injury.
Chiropractors commonly use shockwave therapy as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to address musculoskeletal conditions involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints—especially when pain has not fully resolved with traditional care alone.
How Shockwave Therapy Works
Shockwave therapy delivers controlled acoustic pulses through the skin to the injured area. These sound waves create a biological response that encourages healing at the cellular level.
In chiropractic applications, shockwave therapy helps to:
- Increase blood flow to injured or restricted tissue
- Stimulate collagen production for tissue repair
- Activate the body’s natural healing response
- Reduce pain and inflammation
- Help break down scar tissue and calcifications
- Improve mobility and function
By addressing these underlying issues, shockwave therapy helps the body restart the healing process, rather than simply masking symptoms.
Conditions Commonly Treated with Shockwave Therapy
Dr. Pasternack frequently use shockwave therapy to help patients with:
- Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
- Achilles and patellar tendinitis
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Shoulder pain and rotator cuff issues
- Knee pain
- Hip pain
- Chronic muscle strains
- Ligament and tendon injuries
- Joint pain related to overuse or degeneration
Shockwave therapy is often recommended for chronic conditions where healing has slowed due to poor circulation, repetitive stress, or long-standing inflammation.
What to Expect During Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy sessions are typically brief, lasting 5-10 minutes depending on the area treated. Most patients undergo a short series of treatments over several weeks.
During treatment, patients may feel mild to moderate discomfort, which is temporary and generally well tolerated. There is little to no downtime, and most patients can return to normal activities the same day.
Many patients begin to notice improvements in pain, mobility, and function as treatment progresses.
Is Shockwave Therapy Right for You?
Shockwave therapy may be a good option if you:
- Have ongoing pain or injury that hasn’t fully improved
- Want to avoid injections or surgery
- Prefer a natural, non-drug approach
- Are looking to improve mobility and function
- Want to support long-term healing
Dr. Pasternack will perform an evaluation to determine if shockwave therapy is appropriate for your condition and how it fits into your personalized care plan.