New Service Added! Shockwave Therapy now Available for Booking!

By Brian Lanoue

Shockwave Therapy

Shockwave Therapy: What It Is, How It Works, What to Expect, and What It Treats

The Powerhouse Chiropractic is excited to elevate our services with the introduction of shockwave therapy, now available starting this February!

  1. What is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave Therapy, often referred to as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive treatment using acoustic sound waves to promote healing in damaged tendons, bones, and soft tissues by increasing blood flow, stimulating cell regeneration, breaking down calcifications, and reducing pain, often used for chronic sports injuries like plantar fasciitis or tennis elbow, amongst many other conditions. High-energy pulses are delivered via a handheld device to injured areas, kickstarting the body’s natural repair process for conditions resistant to other therapies.

  1. How does it work?

  • Stimulates healing: The sound waves create microtrauma, increasing blood supply/new blood vessels, metabolism, and collagen synthesis in the injured tissue.
  • Reduces pain: It can overstimulate nerve endings, blocking pain pathways and providing pain relief (analgesic effect)
  • Muscle relaxation: mechanical stimulation reduces muscle stiffness and improves blood circulation
  • Breaks down deposits: It helps break down calcified deposits, such as those in tendons.
  • Promotes tissue regeneration: It encourages the body to regenerate bone and connective tissue. 

  1. What does a treatment look like?

Before Treatment

  • A chiropractor will assess your condition and perform a specific examination on the area of complaint to determine the diagnosis and the tissue to be treated.

During Treatment

  • A gel is applied to the skin to improve wave transmission.
  • The shockwave applicator is placed over the area.
  • High-energy sound waves are delivered in pulses.
  • Your chiropractor will get your feedback during treatment as well as assess the tissue site to create a patient centred treatment session to reduce discomfort and maximize your treatment outcome.
  • Sessions usually last 10–20 minutes.

Does it hurt?

  • It’s generally well-tolerated, though it is normal to feel some mild discomfort or tingling, which is expected when maximizing therapeutic effects.
  • The discomfort generally stops right after the treatment ends!

Treatment Course

  • Typical protocols involve 3–5 sessions, often spaced about one week apart.
  • Higher energy treatments or special indications (e.g., bone healing, spasticity) may follow different schedules.

After Treatment

  • No major recovery time is needed.
  • Some post treatment soreness may occur temporarily.
  • Clinicians may recommend avoiding NSAIDs or ice immediately after treatment to not blunt the healing response.

  1. What conditions/injuries can shockwave treat?

Up to date evidence shows shockwave therapy can treat the following;

  • Tendinopathies (Ex: Achilles, Patellar, Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow, Rotator Cuff)
  • Muscle Strains
  • Joint Sprains
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Bursitis
  • Sports Injuries
  • Shoulder Impingement
  • Myofascial Pain Syndrome (Muscle Pain)
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Shin Splints
  • Hip Pain (GTPS)
  • Coccydynia (Tailbone Pain)
  • Nerve Entrapments (Ex: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and many more)
  • Avascular Necrosis
  • Stress Fractures
  • Delayed Fracture Healing
  • Non-Union Fractures
  • Muscle Spasticity (Cerebral Palsy, Post Stroke)
  • For additional possible conditions – ask your chiropractor!

Shockwave therapy now available for booking at The Powerhouse Chiropractic! Book today!