Shockwave Therapy North Vancouver

At our North Vancouver Clinic we use Shockwave Therapy, to provide excellence in all aspects of our patient care. To reach this goal, we invest in the best equipment and technology available. If you are struggling with problems related to decreased healing of your tendons, ligaments, or bones, or restrictions caused by calcium deposits in your shoulder tendons, Shockwave Therapy can be an effective treatment for you.

What is Shockwave Therapy & How Does it Work?

Shock waves are acoustic waves, which occur naturally in our every day life – for example, they occur when there are cracks of thunder or the noise of applauding crowds. With Shockwave Therapy, high-energy sound wave pulses are applied specifically to an affected area in the body for a therapeutic effect. In medicine, shockwaves were first used to break up kidney stones in the 1980’s, and then evolved to treat non-healing bones by activating bone cells called osteoblasts. Since then, research studies have shown that shockwave therapy facilitates healing of many tissue problems with good results.

Shockwave therapy accelerates the healing process in the body by stimulating the metabolism and enhancing blood circulation to regenerate damaged tissue. Shockwaves can stimulate collagen production, dissolve calcium, reverse chronic inflammation, facilitate increased tissue recovery, and enhance bone strength.

At Synergy Physio + Pilates we use the Storz Shockwave system, a highly reliable and advanced system that leads the industry in research and development.

Is Shockwave Right for Me?

There are a range of diagnoses that Shockwave has shown to be beneficial for. If you have:

tendinopathy – painful problems with your tendons (Achilles, Patellar, Rotator Cuff, Jumper’s Knee, Tennis Elbow) – also known as tendinitis and tendinosis
calcified tendons – calcific tendinitis
plantar fasciosis/ fasciitis
problems with the tendons in your hands like trigger finger
chronic bursitis
shin splints
chronic muscle pain
and more …

If you have a chronic problem that is not healing, and you’re wondering if Shockwave Therapy can help, book an Initial 30 minute Shockwave Assessment and our Synergy Physios will be able to determine if Shockwave will be beneficial for you, or if there are other treatment options that would be more optimal for your individual situation.

If you’re a current patient, your Synergy Physiotherapist will recommend Shockwave treatments if they feel it will facilitate your recovery and rehab.

Benefits of Shockwave include:

no side effects
non-surgical treatment option
accelerates healing
affordable
treatment effect in 3-5 sessions

Shockwave is generally safe for most people, but please check with your doctor if you are pregnant, taking anti-inflammatories, blood thinners, have a pacemaker, or have an active cancer diagnosis.

What Should I Expect?

If you’re new to our Clinic, at your Initial Shockwave Assessment the therapist will take your history and determine if Shockwave is appropriate for you. If so, your first treatment will happen at this session. Depending on the condition being treated, you will then need 3-5 follow-up Shockwave Treatments, once/week.

Prior to your treatment, we advise patients to discontinue taking anti-inflammatories and/or using ice for 4-7 days.

Treatment may be mildly uncomfortable, but is of short duration and tolerable. At Synergy Physio + Pilates, we have invested in a special shockwave “soft head” that is specifically designed to make treatments of tendon problems that are close to their bone insertion much more comfortable with the same effectiveness.

You should expect to feel relief following the first few sessions. If we don’t see this change, the best path is for us to do our whole body, ConnectTherapy™ assessment to determine all the other influences on your problem and why it is persisting and recurring. In many cases, the reason why your tendons and tissues have become problematic is because of how you are loading the tissue because of muscle imbalances and your total body movement patterns. While the Shockwave may take away your symptoms in the short-term, if you want to have long-term resolution, the best route is to design a whole body program to address the underlying cause, or “Driver”, of why your tissues became irritated and inflamed in the first place.

How to Book your Appointments

If you’re new to the Clinic, you can book a 30-minute, “Initial Shockwave Assessment” by calling our Front Desk at 604-986-2777, or online under our “Shockwave” section here.

It is advised that you also book three (3) Follow-up Shockwave Treatments, one week apart, so you have the right timing of your appointments reserved. If your therapist determines that Shockwave is not appropriate for you at your Initial Assessment, your follow-up appointments can be cancelled or changed to the right treatment for you.

If you’re a current patient, and wondering if Shockwave would be helpful for you, talk to your treating therapist and they will advise you how to book your appointments.