Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy

Most patients describe mild-to-moderate pressure and an aching sensation during the procedure. The intensity is always adjusted to your tolerance — communication during the session is important. Significant post-treatment soreness is uncommon, though mild local tenderness for 12–24 hours is normal.

The standard protocol is 3–6 sessions, delivered weekly. Your clinician will review progress after 3 sessions and advise whether continuation or modification of the programme is appropriate based on your tissue response.

Shockwave therapy is not suitable for areas overlying growth plates (in skeletally immature patients), open wounds, active local infection, malignancy in or near the treatment area, or in patients on anticoagulant medications. A full medical screen is conducted prior to commencing treatment.

Some patients notice relief within 1–2 sessions. Others experience gradual improvement over the full treatment course and up to 3 months post-completion. This is a natural feature of the tissue remodelling process — collagen synthesis and tendon restructuring continue well beyond the final session.

Yes, with some modification. We recommend reducing high-impact loading of the treated area in the 48 hours following each session, then gradually resuming activity as guided by your clinician. Your rehabilitation exercise programme continues throughout the shockwave course.

There are two main kinds of shockwave device. Focused shockwave uses an electromagnetic, electrohydraulic or piezoelectric source to generate a true acoustic shockwave that converges at an adjustable depth, so the energy can be concentrated on one deep structure, such as a tendon insertion, a calcific deposit or bone. Radial pressure-wave therapy, the form most often found in physiotherapy and wellness settings, uses a compressed-air projectile to create a pressure wave that is strongest at the skin and spreads out as it travels, which suits broader and more superficial tissue. Both are established treatments with published evidence, and systematic reviews comparing them have not found one to be better for every condition; the right choice depends on the diagnosis and how deep the target tissue lies. In Singapore, shockwave devices are regulated as medical devices by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). At a medical clinic, treatment follows a doctor's diagnosis, ultrasound can be used to locate the target, and shockwave is weighed against the other options a doctor can offer, such as imaging, medication or an injection where that would serve you better.