Shockwave Therapy: What You Need to know

Shockwave Therapy Pickering

If you’ve heard of shockwave therapy but are not entirely sure of what this means, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about this very common treatment option. The most important thing to understand is that you will not be physically shocked, so don’t be alarmed by the name as it can be misleading. Shock wave simply means sound wave, so there is no need to be concerned because it’s essentially just another term that refers to this non-invasive treatment option that you can consider.

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy is a non-surgical method that will provide you with results, and you will start to feel better after only a couple of sessions. This treatment option has actually been around for a while, and high-energy audible sound waves are introduced to the painful areas of your body during this treatment. This can include your shoulders, legs and arms, and if you suffer from acute or chronic pain, this type of treatment would be ideal as it is effective in reducing pain, and most patients will feel a difference after their sessions. Shockwave therapy can reduce pain, and while some patients will experience mild discomfort, you will notice an improvement in your quality of life, so this treatment is definitely worth a try.

How does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwaves will speed up a patient’s healing process and will reduce pain because introducing sound waves to the body will cause one’s blood to become stimulated, and this will increase circulation, and your metabolism will become accelerated as a result. Tissue is regenerated after only a few sessions, and this would allow you to heal a lot faster than a patient who did not seek shockwave treatment. This form of therapy can help treat a number of conditions, including tendonitis, heel pain, tennis elbow, acute and chronic pain, muscle tension, neck pain, and so much more.

Is Shockwave Therapy Effective?

For the most part, shockwave therapy is very successful, and most patients will experience pain reduction after only a couple of sessions. Your healthcare professional will discuss your progress and provide you with their professional opinion regarding when to stop treatment.

If you are interested in shockwave therapy, Apex Physiotherapy & Chiropractic can provide you with more information. We will discuss your pain, and our team of experienced professionals will provide you with the relief you need. We will create a treatment plan based on your needs and conditions specifically and will reduce your pain while restoring your function and improving your performance. Whether you are looking for a naturopathic doctor or a chiropractor, we can help, so if you are in the Pickering or Ajax areas, contact us today to schedule an appointment!

Shockwave Therapy at Apex Physiotherapy and Chiropractic

Shockwave Therapy Pickering

Here at Apex Physiotherapy and Chiropractic, one of our treatments, which we take a lot of pride in, is our Shockwave Therapy. Therapeutic shock waves have been around for decades, and were first introduced as a medical treatment that can eliminate kidney stones. A shockwave is an intense, acoustic wave that can travel faster than the speed of sound. As of today, shockwave technology has been used on millions of people around the world. It has helped to treat a myriad of musculoskeletal, neurological and soft tissue disorders. In addition, it also showed benefit in the treatment of certain tendon disorders, including rotator cuff tendinopathy, calcific tendinopathy, elbow tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy, and Achilles tendinopathy. All of that being said, is shockwave therapy really worth it?

Results of a Large Systematic Review

A large 2015 systematic review investigated the efficacy and safety of shockwave therapy, and provided a review. It includes the following findings:

  1. Based on this study, Shockwave Therapy is effective. In fact, 88.5% of the trials that were observed exhibited better results than placebo or other alternative treatments.
  2. Shockwave Therapy is completely safe. No serious side effects were reported.
  3. For certain conditions, like plantar fasciopathy, non-calcific supraspinatus tendinopathy and calcifying tendonitis of the shoulder, Shockwave Therapy shows better effectiveness compared to other treatments.
  4. If local anesthesia is given during a Shockwave Therapy treatment, it can negatively affect the end result.
  5. At Apex Physiotherapy and Chiropractic, we use radial and focused shockwave therapy devices. Both devices have been found to be great, successful options.
  6. The notion that radial shockwave devices are ‘lower energy,’ while focused shockwaves produce a ‘higher energy,’ is false.
  7. It is best to spread the treatment across three sessions, once a week. 2,000 impulses should be applied each session, and it is to be done at the highest possible setting, one that the patient is able to tolerate.

Shockwave Therapy is a great solution for certain musculoskeletal conditions and has scientific evidence supporting it. It may cause some discomfort for patients, but it has been proven to be safe and no serious side effects or issues have been found either. Treatments don’t require a very long time or many appointments.


We offer many excellent, successful treatments at Apex Physiotherapy and Chiropractic. Our Shockwave treatment in Ajax, Pickering, provides quick sessions and rapid results. If you’re in need of an appointment, we can guarantee that we will give the best shockwave treatment, thanks to our reliable staff and trusted expertise. Call us today at (905) 492-2739.