Shockwave therapy in Lake Forest and San Diego

Available at Lake Forest and San Diego

Shockwave therapy sends focused acoustic pulses into an injured tendon, muscle or joint to encourage the body’s own repair process. Our chiropractors use it for stubborn soft tissue and joint pain that has not settled with rest and standard care.

Now welcoming new patients

Care for deeper, stubborn pain

Some injuries sit where hands cannot easily reach: deep in a joint, along a tendon, or in tissue that has been irritated for months. Shockwave therapy is one way to treat those areas without needles or surgery.

It is often used around the knee, including some ligament and meniscus injuries, and for tendon and soft tissue problems that have become chronic. It may also help when pain comes with ongoing inflammation, stiffness or limited movement.

Treatment is always based on your diagnosis and the source of the problem. The goal is to reduce pain and improve how you move, alongside your chiropractic care.

How shockwave therapy works

A handheld applicator delivers short bursts of high-energy acoustic waves into the target tissue. Each pulse lasts a tiny fraction of a second. The effect is a little like a very focused, deeper version of a massage gun.

Researchers describe several effects:

More local activity
The pulses create a controlled, local response in the tissue that increases blood flow to the area.
Calmer pain signals
Shockwave may reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings that send pain signals from the area.
Support for repair
It is thought to activate the cells and signals involved in tissue repair, supporting the body’s own healing process.

Conditions it is used for

Shockwave is used for tendon, ligament, muscle and joint problems from the feet to the shoulders. Common examples include:

Foot
Plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, and nerve or ligament irritation.
Ankle and lower leg
Chronic ankle pain from arthritis or ligament instability, Achilles tendinopathy, calf muscle strains and heel bursitis.
Knee
IT band pain, patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee), and strains of the ligaments on either side of the knee.
Upper leg and hip
Quadriceps and hamstring strains, gluteal strains, hip bursitis and hip flexor tendon pain.
Elbow and hand
Tennis elbow, little leaguer’s elbow, biceps and triceps tendon pain at the elbow, and hand strains.
Shoulder
Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff, partial rotator cuff tears and biceps tendon pain.

Your chiropractor will examine you to decide whether shockwave suits your condition or whether another approach would be better.

Who it may suit

Shockwave is not a replacement for standard care. Our chiropractors see it as a next step for people who have not found enough relief with rest, exercise, physical therapy or medication.

It is best suited to people who are at least four to six weeks past an injury and have not made meaningful progress, especially those with long-standing pain from a sports or overuse injury, whether it has been there for weeks or for years. It is occasionally used for more recent injuries, but it is most often recommended for pain that has not resolved.

What a session involves

Your chiropractor locates the sore area, applies a gel to the skin and moves the applicator over and around the tissue. You will hear a rapid tapping sound and feel pulses that range from a mild thudding to a strong, deep pressure. The intensity is adjusted to what you can comfortably tolerate.

Shockwave is usually part of a broader visit that can include adjustments, soft tissue work and exercises. Afterward you can generally return to your day. The area may feel tender for a day or so.

Book shockwave therapy

Offered at 2 Greenlight offices.

Your questions,
answered

About shockwave therapy at Greenlight.

What is shockwave therapy?

Shockwave therapy uses focused acoustic pulses delivered through a handheld applicator to stimulate an injured tendon, muscle or joint and support the body’s natural repair process. It does not involve needles or surgery.

What is shockwave therapy used for?

It is used for tendon, muscle, ligament and joint problems such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles and patellar tendon pain, tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendon problems, hip bursitis and some knee injuries, particularly when pain has lasted for weeks or months.

What does a session feel like?

You feel rapid pulses over the sore area, from a mild tapping to a strong, deep pressure. Your chiropractor adjusts the intensity to keep it tolerable. Some people feel tender in the area for a day or so afterward.

How do I find out if shockwave therapy suits me?

Book a visit. Your chiropractor will take your history, examine the area and explain whether shockwave fits your condition, or whether another type of care would be a better starting point.

Where is shockwave therapy offered?

Shockwave therapy is available at our Lake Forest and San Diego offices.

Does it replace other treatment?

No. Shockwave is used alongside chiropractic care and home exercises, usually after standard approaches have not brought enough relief.