Some injuries do not respond to rest. The tissue stops hurting just enough to let you train, but the underlying problem never fully heals.
A few weeks back into training and the pain returns, often worse than before. These are the injuries that shockwave therapy is built for.
At The Disc Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge, CO, we use shockwave therapy as part of a comprehensive approach to stubborn, chronic soft tissue injuries in athletes.
This post explains how the therapy works, what the research says, and which athletes benefit most from it.
What Is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy uses high-energy acoustic waves delivered directly to the injured tissue. These waves create a mechanical stimulus that promotes blood flow, stimulates cell repair, and breaks down calcifications and scar tissue in tendons and other connective tissues.
The term shockwave sounds intense, but the treatment is non-invasive and does not require surgery or injections.
Sessions typically last 10 to 20 minutes, and athletes usually require several sessions over a few weeks to see full results.
Why Chronic Tendon Injuries Are So Hard to Treat
Tendons have limited blood supply, which is why they heal slowly and incompletely. In acute injuries, inflammation brings healing cells to the area. In chronic injuries, the inflammatory response has quieted down, but the tendon has not fully recovered.
The tissue is degenerated and disorganized, and without a new stimulus to repair, it stays that way.
This is the core problem with chronic Achilles tendinopathy, lateral epicondylitis, patellar tendinopathy, and other overuse conditions.
The pain can be managed with rest and anti-inflammatories, but the underlying tissue quality never improves.
How Shockwave Therapy Restores Tendon Health
Shockwave therapy essentially restarts the healing process in chronic injuries by creating a new, controlled stimulus in tissue that has stopped responding.
It promotes the formation of new blood vessels, stimulates collagen production, and activates cells involved in tissue repair.
In research on chronic Achilles tendon injuries, shockwave therapy enabled many athletes to return to competitive activity within approximately 12 weeks.
For athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome, shockwave therapy helped them return to sport faster compared to exercise-only approaches. These are meaningful outcomes for athletes who have been dealing with the same problem for months.
Conditions We Treat with Shockwave Therapy at The Disc Chiropractic
We commonly use shockwave therapy for:
• Achilles tendinopathy in runners and court sport athletes
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) in pickleball and racket sport players
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow) in golfers and overhead athletes
• Plantar fasciitis in runners and standing workers
• Patellar tendinopathy in jumping and weightlifting athletes
• Shin splints in runners returning from high mileage training
• Rotator cuff tendinopathy in overhead sport athletes
Shockwave Therapy Works Best as Part of a Complete Plan
Shockwave therapy is not a stand-alone treatment. It works best when combined with chiropractic adjustments that restore normal joint mechanics and therapeutic exercise that rebuilds tendon strength and load tolerance.
Without those pieces, the tissue may respond in the short term but the underlying movement problem will drive the injury back.
At The Disc Chiropractic, every athlete receives a complete assessment before treatment begins.
We identify the movement faults, load issues, and tissue problems that are driving the injury, and then build a treatment plan around all of them together.
Is Shockwave Therapy Right for You?
If you have a tendon or soft tissue injury that has not improved with rest, traditional physical therapy, or cortisone injections, shockwave therapy may be the missing piece.
It is safe, non-invasive, and supported by clinical research for several of the most common overuse injuries in athletes.Book your first visit at The Disc Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge for $97. Your appointment includes a full consultation, X-rays, and a clear treatment plan based on what your body actually needs.