Shockwave: Is It Time to Wake Up Your Body’s Healing Potential?

🔊 Why Shockwave Therapy Might Be the Missing Link in Injury & Pain Recovery

By Dr. Grove Higgins, DC

Pain has a funny way of taking over. It starts as a nuisance. A tight tendon. A stiff joint. A subtle ache after a long day. But over time, it becomes something more of a limitation, a whisper that becomes a scream, keeping you from running, reaching, sleeping, or simply living as you once did.

If that resonates with you, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not without options.

I want to introduce you to a treatment that’s quietly transforming how we approach chronic pain and stalled healing: shockwave therapy.

What Is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy uses mechanical sound waves, not electricity, to stimulate your body’s own repair systems. It's not a “new age” gimmick. It's a scientifically grounded, clinically validated therapy that's been used for over two decades in orthopedic medicine worldwide, especially in Europe, where every major sports team has one or many machines and practitioners.

These sound waves penetrate deep into tissues, especially tendons, ligaments, and fascia that don’t heal well on their own, and do something remarkable:

🚀 Wake up dormant repair cells

🩸 Increase blood flow to low-circulation areas

🧱 Break down scar tissue and calcification

📡 Quiet down chronic pain signals

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It’s like flipping the breaker back on in your body’s natural healing grid.

Who Is It For?

Shockwave therapy shines in situations where healing has hit a plateau:

• Plantar fasciitis that won’t quit

• Tennis elbow after months of rest

• Rotator cuff or hip bursitis that flares with simple movement

• Tendon or ligament pain that lingers despite therapy

• Knee or shoulder pain that’s edging you toward surgery

It's especially effective for middle-aged movers—the weekend runners, former athletes, busy parents, and desk-bound professionals whose bodies are trying to tell them something’s not quite right.

Debunking the Myths

You might have heard some rumors about shockwave therapy. Let’s clear up a few:

• It’s painful – Not really. It can feel like deep pressure or tapping, but most people tolerate it well. But if you can take it, the more power you can pour in, the faster the results!

• It’s only for athletes – Not even close. The majority of our patients are everyday people with nagging pain.

• It’s like ultrasound or TENS – No. This is mechanical energy, not heat or electricity. It changes how tissues behave on a cellular level.

• It’s just for pain relief – Actually, it’s for healing. It addresses root dysfunction, not just symptoms.

How Does It Compare?

Let’s be real. Most patients who come to me have already tried:

❄️ Rest and ice

💊 Cortisone shots

🧘‍♂️ Stretching and PT

😞 Avoidance

And many are staring down the barrel of surgery. Shockwave offers a middle path—non-invasive, regenerative, and surprisingly fast.Most treatments take about 10–15 minutes. And in many cases, improvement starts after just a few sessions.

What Makes the Difference?

Not all shockwave is created equal. There are two types:

• Radial shockwave: good for large, surface-level areas (like the plantar fascia)

• Focused shockwave: more precise and deeper-reaching (great for joint capsules or tendons)

At our clinic, we use focal shockwave. But more importantly, we don’t just treat tissue—we assess how your whole body moves, compensates, and communicates pain. Because true recovery isn’t just about turning off symptoms—it’s about turning you back on.

What Patients Say

• One runner beat 3 years of heel pain in just 3 sessions.

• A 75-year-old cancer survivor used shockwave to recover from two knee replacements faster than expected and was back to walking 3-6miles in less than a year.

• A pro boxer reversed nerve compression and fought again—pain-free.

• A teen athlete with chronic shin splints sprinted pain-free after three visits.

Read these and more stories in the book!

These aren’t miracles. They’re the result of targeted, evidence-based treatment paired with a body that was ready to heal—once it got the right signal.

Want to Learn More?

I recently wrote a full patient-friendly guide that explains:

• How shockwave therapy works (without medical jargon)

• Who it’s best for

• What to expect during a visit

• What questions to ask any provider—even if it’s not us

• And what you can do before and after to get the best results

👉 You can download the free guide here: https://www.neuroathletechiro.com/shockwave-book

Whether you’re new to regenerative medicine or just tired of hurting, this could be your next step forward.

Not because it's trendy. But because your body was made to heal—and sometimes it just needs a little help remembering how.