SHOCKWAVE THERAPY FAQs

Shockwave therapy is the worst name! Shockwave is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to rejuvenate healing in injured tissues. It helps break down the stiff and damaged tendon tissues by encouraging new collagen, breaking down calcium deposits that build up in the tissue and improving blood vessel formation for healing. In simple terms? It helps boost blood flow, reduce pain, and kickstart your body’s natural repair process. No needles, no surgery, no medication, just targeted treatment to get stubborn injuries moving again.

Shockwave therapy works best for persistent tendon, soft tissue injuries, bursitis or even arthritis. It is especially good for those injuries that haven’t responded well to rest or rehab alone. Common conditions it may help with include: Plantar fasciitis Achilles tendinopathy Tennis or golfer’s elbow Hamstring or glute tendon injuries Chronic Hip bursitis or arthritis Shoulder pain and bursitis Chronic muscle and tendon pain Some forms of arthritis It’s particularly effective for long-standing tendon problems, but it can also help some acute muscle and tendon injuries depending on the situation. However, it’s not suitable for everyone. We don’t use shockwave for: Fractures or stress fractures Cancer, or cancer treatment over the last 5 years Inflammatory or autoimmune arthritis conditions Pregnancy Patients over the age of 80 or under the age of 18 Patients on blood thinning medication (warfarin/heparin) Patients that have had a cortisone injection or have had cortisone tablets over the last 6 weeks. Acute injuries (visibly swollen, inflamed areas with less than 4 weeks onset) If you’re unsure where you fit, we’re always happy to chat through it with you first.

This is a very important question, as there are some criteria that prevents someone from accessing Shockwave therapy. We cannot provide Shockwave to anyone with the following: Cancer or Cancer treatment in the last 5 years Blood clotting disorders or on blood thinning medication (warfarin/heparin) Inflammatory arthritis or autoimmune conditions (Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, MS etc) Pacemakers Pregnancy Under the age of 18 (except for Osgood Schlatters disease) Feel free to call us prior to your Shockwave session if you are unsure about anything.

Shockwave increases circulation to the area while stimulating the body’s natural healing response. It helps break down scar tissue, encourages new collagen production and reduces pain signalling in the nerves. Basically, it helps your body do what it’s meant to do, just more effectively. Shockwave works the best with concurrent Osteopathy treatment so that we can help your biomechanics and function of how the other areas move around your injury. For example, the shockwave treatment will be direct to your hip, however using our Osteopathy principles and manual therapy, shockwave is the most effective when we look at how your back is moving, how your legs are moving and addressing “why” your hip is under load and pressure to help alleviate that problem in the first place.

Honestly? It can feel uncomfortable, especially in very sensitive areas like bony areas of knees or elbows, but most people describe it as “strong discomfort” rather than true pain. The good news is, the intensity is adjustable and we only go for about 3-4 minutes per area. We tailor it to your comfort level and as your injury starts improving, most people find the treatment becomes much easier. You might feel tender afterwards and maybe for a day or two post treatment as this is trying to “stir the pot” of your inflammation to elicit a change in how your tendons feel. But the most important thing to remember is that it’s not doing any damage to your tissues.

Most people need around 3-5 sessions, depending on how long the injury’s been there and how severe it is. Many clients start noticing changes around session 3 or 4, which is when we really start seeing momentum, but you will feel "a difference" in session 1 or 2. We recommend booking in a minimum of 2 sessions to see how your body responds with shockwave treatment

Your first initial visit is a 30 appointment where we take a complete history and assess what’s going on. Shockwave usually makes up around 10–15 minutes of this session, with a single shockwave procedure lasting 3-4 minutes. with the rest of the appointment involving osteo assessment treatment and management. We recommend 3-5 sessions for shockwave and you will notice differences around session 3-4. Along with rehabilitation strengthening exercises, these tend to get the best results.

Our pricing for shockwave includes a 30 minute osteopathy consultation of $135 for new or return clients. Most people will need a small block of treatments from 1-2 weeks apart ideally, but usually start seeing good improvements within 3-4 sessions, with shockwave treatment plans ranging from 3-5 sessions in total. We recommend booking a minimum 2 sessions for you to see the benefits of shockwave and how your body responds.

Some people notice "a change" or relief in their tissues straight after the first or second session. For others, it’s more gradual, and both are completely normal. In all things related to the human body - “It depends” - on your injury background, medical history, and your personal circumstances. The important thing is that shockwave works on actual tissue healing, not just masking the symptoms. You should start to see changes from session 3-4, with some people needing around 5 sessions for more chronic or irritated injuries. We want to see how your body manages the first appointment and we can make adjustments to the settings of shockwave in session 2 onwards to make sure you have the best outcomes every time.

There is no formal downtime needed. You can continue with normal daily activities straight away. We might just suggest reducing high-impact activity (like running or jumping) for 24-48 hours while the tissues settle. However if you are in a trade based occupation or active lifestyle the next day or later that day can be completely fine to carry on your usual activities, but maybe we adjust this to being later in the week so you have the weekend off, as well if you need to do stronger tasks for your occupation earlier in the week. Most people are fine to carry on normal activities. Be smart about the next day - gym work is fine, training is fine, just not too hard!

Side effects are generally mild and short-lived and can include: Soreness around the area Redness Mild bruising These usually settle within a day or two. You might feel more sensitive after a few days, again this is OK, we can adjust how we go on the next session too. The main thing to remember, we are making changes to your tissues, but shockwave therapy won’t cause any further damage to your tissues.

Absolutely, and we encourage it. Shockwave works best alongside osteopathy treatment, guided rehab exercises and load management. It’s part of a bigger picture, not just a stand-alone fix. As we mentioned above, Shockwave looks at the tissue area, however injuries are multifaceted and as Osteopaths we see the patterns of how an area is loaded and how we can correct this for you to assist in the healing. Shockwave is one tool in our toolbelt for treatment.

Because shockwave helps stimulate real tissue healing, results are often long-lasting, especially when combined with proper rehab and smart movement habits. If you’ve been living with pain for longer than you should have to, shockwave could be a great option. If you’re not sure whether it’s right for you, reach out, we’d love to chat and help you figure it out.