Focused Shockwave Therapy
Non-invasive acoustic energy directed at a painful tendon or bone to stimulate blood flow and reduce chronic pain.
What it involves
A handheld device delivers focused pressure waves through the skin to the treatment zone. No needles, no anesthetic, no downtime. Sessions run about fifteen minutes and are usually repeated three to five times.
Who it helps
- +Chronic tendon pain — shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, heel
- +Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff
- +Slow-healing bone stress injuries
- +Anyone who wants to start with the least invasive option
Recovery
None. You walk out and carry on with your day, often with therapy the same week.
In the office
Frequently combined with movement analysis so the underlying loading pattern gets corrected too.
Common questions
Is it the same as the shockwave used for kidney stones?+
The physics are related, but the energy and focus are set for tendon and bone healing. Nothing is broken up — the goal is blood flow and a healing response.
How many sessions?+
Typically three to five, spaced about a week apart, each around fifteen minutes.
Is there any downtime?+
None. You leave and carry on with your day. Some tenderness in the treated area for a day is normal.
What responds best?+
Chronic tendon pain that has lasted months — rotator cuff, tennis elbow, gluteal tendons, patellar tendon, Achilles and plantar fascia — plus calcific tendinitis and some slow-healing stress injuries.
Not sure this is your path?
Two quick questions will point you to a sensible starting point.
Other treatments
PRP
A concentrate made from your own blood, injected into an irritated tendon, ligament or joint to support the body's own healing response.
Non-surgicalMicrofat
A small amount of your own fat tissue, gently processed and placed into a painful joint to cushion and calm irritated surfaces.
Non-surgicalBMAC
Cells drawn from your own bone marrow, concentrated and delivered to a damaged joint or tendon to support repair.
Non-surgicalLaser therapy
High-power therapeutic laser — photobiomodulation — that reaches deep tissue to calm inflammation, ease pain and support repair. No needles, no anesthetic, no downtime.
Non-surgicalConservative care
The first line of treatment for most joint and tendon problems: activity modification, anti-inflammatories or acetaminophen, ice, bracing or a cane when helpful, and physician-directed physical therapy.
SurgicalArthroscopy
Small-incision joint surgery using a camera and precise instruments — for repair work that biologics and therapy cannot reach.
SurgicalShoulder reconstruction
Rebuilding a shoulder that has lost its stability or its cuff — from anchor-suture repair to complex revision and instability surgery.
Non-surgical & surgicalShoulder arthritis
A worn shoulder joint doesn't have to mean giving up what you love. Care ranges from therapy and biologic injections to total shoulder replacement when the joint is truly worn out.
Non-surgical & surgicalKnee cartilage care
A joint-preserving approach to knee cartilage problems, from therapy and orthobiologics to arthroscopic repair or cartilage restoration when needed.
Non-surgicalSports medicine & longevity
Care for active adults who want to stay in the game, protect their joints and perform at their best — from injury prevention to recovery and long-term resilience.
General information only — not medical advice. Your plan is confirmed in person after an exam and imaging review.