Shockwave Therapy in St. Louis

Treatments typically take about 10 minutes. No injections. No downtime.

Shockwave Therapy for Persistent Tendon and Soft-Tissue Pain

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), commonly called shockwave therapy, is a non-invasive treatment that uses acoustic pressure waves to help reduce pain and support recovery in stubborn tendon and soft-tissue conditions. At Embody Performance & Recovery in Kirkwood, we use shockwave therapy for conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow, rotator cuff and shoulder tendon pain, patellar tendinopathy, and certain types of hip pain.

Conditions We Treat with Shockwave Therapy

• Plantar fasciitis and chronic heel pain — especially persistent pain that has not resolved with stretching, strengthening or orthotics.
• ‍Achilles tendinopathy — including both mid-portion and insertional Achilles pain.
• ‍Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow — stubborn tendon pain aggravated by gripping and lifting.
• ‍Rotator cuff and shoulder tendon pain — particularly calcific tendinopathy.
• ‍Patellar tendinopathy / jumper’s knee — pain below the kneecap associated with running, jumping and squatting.
• ‍Gluteal tendinopathy / outer hip pain — often previously called “hip bursitis.”

In addition, shockwave therapy has shown promising results in treating other musculoskeletal conditions, such as myofascial pain syndrome, arthritis, and spine conditions which may cause lower back pain and neck pain.

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Why Choose Shockwave Therapy at Embody?

Many people feel meaningful relief from shockwave therapy on its own. What sets our approach apart is what comes next: helping the tendon become stronger and better able to handle the activities you want to return to.

Shockwave therapy can help reduce pain and support the recovery process, but lasting improvement often requires rebuilding the tendon’s capacity to handle load.

Tendons are made of collagen fibers, a lot like the strands of a rope. Dense, organized fibers make a strong tendon. Thin, disorganized fibers are more vulnerable to irritation and re-injury. The right exercises, chosen for you and progressed as you get stronger, help rebuild the tendon’s capacity.

That’s not a generic exercise sheet. It’s a plan matched to your tendon, your body, and what you want to get back to.

When appropriate, we pair shockwave therapy with individualized movement and progressive strengthening so you can get back to walking, running, lifting, training, or simply moving with more confidence.

You Choose How Much Support You Want

• On your own: We’ll show you the right exercises and how to progress them at home.
• Rehabilitation: Guided sessions alongside your shockwave treatment.
• Movement and strength coaching: Individualized strengthening for the tendon and the areas around it.

Treatment is provided by clinicians who specialize in musculoskeletal care, so we can help you decide how much support makes sense for your condition and goals.

What Patients Say About Shockwave Therapy

“I went to Dr. O’Guin for chronic plantar fasciitis (over a year in pain)… I wanted to give an update after my 7th shockwave therapy treatment, as I have gone the last four days completely pain-free. Additionally, Dr. O’Guin gave me some extremely useful ideas for changing/improving my running form to prevent the injury from recurring, as well as foot strengthening exercises to get to the root cause of the problem.”

— Matt M., Google review ★★★★★

“I was desperate after my surgeon said there was nothing else he could do to alleviate the pain in my shoulder… I won’t lie, it does hurt while the doc is working on my shoulder, but after 6 weeks, I am mostly pain free… We are working on strengthening the muscles that help support my rotator cuff and giving me exercises to do at home and in the gym to keep the pain away.”

— Kelly C., Google review ★★★★★

“The treatment feels like a mix between a TENS unit and a Theragun, and it’s been incredibly effective for my Achilles tendon issue. I’ve avoided surgery, cortisone shots, and all the other invasive options I really didn’t want to deal with—and this has genuinely helped.”

— Nathan S., Google review ★★★★★

Shockwave Therapy Cost in St. Louis

Single session: $150
Four-session package: $400 ($100 per session)

Shockwave treatments are typically about 10 minutes. Because treatment effects can build across sessions, a short series is commonly recommended depending on the condition and how you respond.

What to Expect During Shockwave Therapy

• Treatment time. Most shockwave sessions take about 10 minutes.
• What it feels like. Treatment feels like a series of rapid, targeted pulses. The intensity can range from mildly uncomfortable to fairly intense, but we adjust the settings based on your tolerance and the tissue being treated.
• Number of treatments. The number of sessions varies by condition and response. Many tendon problems are treated over several sessions spaced approximately a week apart.

Shockwave Therapy for Common Tendon Conditions

Shockwave Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can be a crippling condition that causes severe pain in the bottom of the foot, typically near the heel. Every step can cause pain, especially first thing in the morning or after periods of rest. Plantar fasciitis is challenging to deal with and equally hard for doctors to treat. Most people attempt stretching and strengthening physical therapy along with orthotics and still get little to no relief.

Shockwave therapy is quickly becoming the preferred treatment for plantar fasciitis due to it being non-invasive and providing excellent results. Several studies have even shown that shockwave therapy is superior to corticosteroid injections for plantar fasciitis pain relief.

Shockwave Therapy for Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles pain usually shows up as stiffness and soreness at the back of the heel or a few inches above it. It’s typically worst with your first steps in the morning or at the start of a run. Most long-standing cases aren’t really inflammation. The tendon has lost its ability to handle load, which is why rest alone rarely fixes it. Shockwave works well here, especially when it’s paired with a progressive calf and tendon loading program. Research shows the combination works better than loading alone. We treat both mid-tendon pain and insertional pain where the tendon meets the heel bone.

Shockwave Therapy for Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow

Tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow. Golfer’s elbow causes pain on the inside. Both make gripping, lifting a coffee cup, or turning a doorknob painful, and both tend to hang on for months. Shockwave is a good option when stretching, bracing, or an injection hasn’t solved the problem. The research on tennis elbow is generally favorable. Golfer’s elbow has been studied less, but in our experience it responds similarly. We always combine treatment with forearm strengthening so the tendon can handle the demands of work, sports, and daily life.

Shockwave Therapy for Calcific Tendonitis and Rotator Cuff Pain

Shoulder pain from the rotator cuff often hurts most when reaching overhead, putting on a jacket, or lying on that side at night. When calcium deposits have formed in the tendon, called calcific tendonitis, shockwave has some of its strongest research support. Studies show it can reduce pain and help break down the deposits. An X-ray will show whether calcium is present. For rotator cuff pain without calcium, the evidence is more mixed, so we rely more on a strengthening program and use shockwave selectively.

Shockwave Therapy for Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinopathy)

Jumper’s knee causes pain just below the kneecap. It’s common in volleyball and basketball players and in anyone who runs, jumps, or squats a lot. It usually hurts at the start of activity, sometimes eases as you warm up, and then aches afterward. Shockwave can reduce pain and help the tendon recover, but it works best as part of a structured loading program, not on its own. The goal is to get you back to jumping, squatting, and training without the tendon flaring up.

Shockwave Therapy for Outer Hip Pain (Gluteal Tendinopathy)

Pain on the outside of the hip that makes it hard to lie on your side, climb stairs, or stand on one leg is often gluteal tendinopathy. It used to be called hip bursitis. It’s especially common in women in their 40s through 60s. Research comparing treatments found that shockwave and a targeted exercise program both did better than cortisone injections over the long term. We use shockwave to calm the pain and hip strengthening to keep it from coming back.

What is Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy is an advanced treatment approach utilizing high-energy acoustic sound waves to promote healing and reduce pain. It's becoming a preferred method for treating tendon injuries and tendinosis, a common condition involving collagen degeneration in tendons due to chronic overuse. The energy produced from shockwaves stimulates the body's natural healing process, promoting tissue regeneration. Shockwave therapy is a safe and non-invasive treatment option that typically only takes about 10 minutes to administer.

How Does Shockwave Therapy Work?

Shockwave therapy, also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy, involves the application of high-energy acoustic waves to the injured area. These sound waves are not electrical shocks, but rather focused energy "shockwaves" generated by a device and transmitted to the targeted tissues in the body.

When these high-energy waves are applied to an injured area, several biological responses are triggered:

• Neovascularization: This is the process of forming new blood vessels. The shockwaves induce microtrauma to the tissue, which stimulates the release of growth factors such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF). These factors promote the formation of new blood vessels, improving blood supply and oxygenation, and thus facilitating the healing process.
• Cell Proliferation and Repair: The waves stimulate the proliferation of cells that are crucial for tissue healing, such as tenocytes in tendons. This leads to the accelerated regeneration of damaged tissue.
• Breaking Down Calcifications and Scar Tissue: In chronic conditions, shockwave therapy can help break down calcifications and scar tissue, improving mobility and reducing pain.

Types of Shockwave Therapy

Radial Shockwave Therapy vs. Focused Shockwave Therapy

There are two types of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT): 

Focused shockwaves are generated inside the applicator, then concentrated by a lens, and transmitted into the tissue. These focused shockwaves travel more like a beam, penetrating deeper into tissues. In addition to treating musculoskeletal conditions, focused shockwaves are commonly used in treating kidney stones and certain types of bone fractures.

Radial shockwaves are generated by accelerating a projectile through a tube using compressed air. The energy created by the acoustic waves penetrates the skin into tissues using a special applicator. Radial shockwaves spread over a larger area and are typically only used to treat tendon injuries and myofascial pain. In particular, radial shockwave has the most evidence supporting its use for plantar fasciitis, lateral epicondylitis (Tennis elbow), Achilles tendonitis, shoulder tendon pain, and jumper knee.

To summarize, both forms of shockwave therapy can be used to treat musculoskeletal pain successfully. However, focused shockwave therapy should be considered for deeper tissues, especially to treat kidney stones. Radial shockwave is a less expensive alternative to treat tendons successfully.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) vs. Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT)

EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology) is often considered a more advanced form of ESWT (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy). However, both EPAT and traditional ESWT are non-invasive treatments using shockwaves to treat various musculoskeletal conditions. The primary difference lies in the technology and type of waves used, with EPAT shockwave therapy being the modern iteration of ESWT, offering a gentler approach with similar therapeutic benefits.

Softwave Therapy

Softwave therapy, also known as Low-Intensity Shockwave Therapy, produces lower-intensity waves compared to traditional shockwave therapy. Both softwave therapy and shockwave therapy are used to treat tendon and myofascial injuries such as plantar fasciitis. However, shockwave therapy currently has more robust clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness. The choice between the two should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional, considering factors such as the severity of the condition, sensitivity, and response to previous treatments.

Shockwave Therapy vs. Cortisone Injections

Cortisone injections can provide fast relief for some painful tendon conditions, particularly in the short term. Shockwave therapy takes a different approach. Rather than relying on an anti-inflammatory medication, it uses acoustic pressure waves to stimulate a local tissue response and is typically delivered over a short series of treatments.

For certain chronic tendon problems, research suggests that cortisone may provide better relief early on, while shockwave may produce better outcomes several months later.

Studies comparing the two treatments have found that:

• Plantar fasciitis: shockwave therapy produced better pain and function outcomes than corticosteroid injections at 3 and 6 months in a recent meta-analysis.
• Tennis elbow: corticosteroid injections performed better at 1 month, but shockwave produced better pain, strength, and functional outcomes at 3 and 6 months.
• Shoulder conditions: studies have found similar short-term results, with shockwave showing better intermediate-term outcomes in some trials.

One reason this matters is that cortisone primarily targets pain and inflammation, while shockwave is used to stimulate a local mechanical and biological response in the involved tissue. At Embody, we often pair shockwave with progressive strengthening so treatment is not only aimed at reducing symptoms, but also at rebuilding the tissue’s ability to tolerate load.

That makes shockwave especially appealing for people who are looking beyond short-term symptom relief and want a non-invasive option that can be combined with progressive strengthening and rehabilitation.

Neither treatment is right for everyone. The best choice depends on the condition, how long it has been present, prior treatments, and your individual goals.

Shockwave Therapy vs. Ultrasound

While shockwave therapy and ultrasounds are both non-invasive methods for treating various musculoskeletal conditions, their underlying principles and applications differ significantly. Shockwave therapy employs high-energy acoustic waves that trigger biological effects, which lead to faster tissue repair and cell growth. Ultrasound, on the other hand, uses much lower-energy sound waves to generate heat. The heat generated by ultrasounds promotes blood flow, which helps tissues feel better temporarily. However, shockwave therapy stimulates the growth of new vascular pathways, providing a much longer-term value.

The evidence supporting shockwave therapy for muscle and tendon injuries is much more robust than ultrasound. Some studies have questioned the efficacy of ultrasound in treating musculoskeletal conditions, suggesting that its benefits are limited and inconsistent.

In summary, while both therapies have their uses in physical therapy, shockwave therapy currently has stronger evidence supporting its effectiveness in the treatment and management of tendon-related pain and injuries.

Is Shockwave Therapy Safe?

Yes. When it’s used by a trained provider for the right conditions, shockwave therapy is generally very safe. It’s non-invasive, with no needles, injections, or downtime, and most people go right back to their normal day.

Possible Side Effects

Most people describe treatment as intense but tolerable: a strong, focused pulsing that makes its way to the right spots. Many find that reassuring, because they can tell it’s reaching the problem area. We adjust the intensity throughout so it stays manageable for you.

Afterward, many people notice some relief. Less commonly, the area can sometimes feel sore for a day or two. Mild redness, swelling, bruising, or skin irritation can occur but is uncommon. We’ll tell you what to expect for your specific condition.

Who Should Not Receive Shockwave Therapy?

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment often used for musculoskeletal conditions; however, it may not be suitable for everyone. For example, patients with bleeding or blood clotting disorders have an increased risk of bleeding when using shockwave therapy.

Shockwave therapy should not be used directly over the site of certain conditions. For example, it is contraindicated to use shockwave therapy directly over infections, malignancies or cancerous areas, nerve disorders, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and growth plates in children. Additionally, shockwave therapy should not be used over the abdomen or lower back in women during pregnancy.

Find Out if Shockwave Therapy Is Right for You

If persistent tendon or soft-tissue pain is keeping you from walking, running, exercising or doing the activities you enjoy, shockwave therapy may be worth considering. We’ll help determine whether it fits your condition and, when appropriate, combine treatment with the movement and strengthening needed for longer-term progress.

Prefer to talk first? Call 314-822-5300