What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy uses high-intensity acoustic pulses, delivered through a handheld device, to trigger the body's natural repair response in stubborn, chronic soft tissue injuries. It's not a first-line treatment — it's typically what we reach for once rest, stretching, and standard manual therapy haven't fully resolved a long-standing tendon problem.
How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?
Shockwave therapy uses targeted acoustic waves to deliver mechanical energy to specific areas being treated. At Care & Cure Physiotherapy, the treatment is selected based on your assessment and may be incorporated alongside other physiotherapy treatment approaches to address your individual needs and goals.
What it treats :
- Tendon & Overuse Injuries
- Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs
- Tennis and golfer's elbow (lateral/medial epicondylitis)
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Rotator cuff tears and calcific tendinitis of the shoulder
- Patella tendinopathy and Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Hamstring tendinopathy
- Trochanteric bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy
What to expect at your visit?
Shockwave itself is quick — most treatment areas take under 10 minutes. It's not painless; patients typically describe it as a deep, tapping discomfort rather than sharp pain, and it eases considerably after the first session or two as the tissue responds. You can walk out and go about your day right after — there's no downtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
There's discomfort during treatment, but it's brief and most patients tolerate it well. We adjust intensity based on your feedback in real time.
Some patients notice change after 2–3 sessions, but tendon tissue heals slowly — a full course is usually needed to see lasting results, not just a quiet week.
Source: According to Mayo Clinic, plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain and typically responds well to conservative treatment approaches like this before surgery is ever considered.
Take the next step.
Our Scott Road clinic welcomes patients from Guildford, Newton, Scott Road, and North Delta for personalized occupational therapy focused on their individual functional goals. Book online or call 778-590-4243.
